


Camp SAGA

by Flightless_Wings



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Emotional Hurt, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), Implied/Referenced Homophobia, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Minor Allura/Shiro (Voltron), Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pansexual Hunk, Pining Keith (Voltron), Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, demigirl Pidge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-08 00:33:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 44,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11070327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flightless_Wings/pseuds/Flightless_Wings
Summary: saga (noun): a long story of heroic achievementLance finds it hard to believe that being forced to a Gay Conversion Camp could be put under the label of "saga", but there's more in store for him at this camp than he could have imagined.





	1. Welcome to Camp S.A.G.A.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Pride Month my loves. This story was inspired by a song made for the survivors of the Orlando Pulse Shooting in 2016. This story starts in February 2016 and I hope you guys like it. <3 Comments are always welcome I love hearing from you guys!

Lance hesitated. There were only three steps to get from the bus to the ground, but his knees shook so hard he wasn’t sure he’d make it and not just from the cold February wind. He jumped hearing the man waiting for him and the others just outside call them out.

“Today, today, we need to get going!” He had an accent, but his voice was hard and a little scary.

He felt a small nudge behind him and stepped down, direct sunlight just touching the tops of his shoes. The ground felt firm beneath his feet and Lance was surprised to see that man waiting for them had an appearance that didn’t fit his cold voice. A big, almost comical mustache, soft eyes, and an odd outfit; overall, not what Lance would have pictured for someone who would dole out conversion therapy to the kids following him off the bus. 

“My name is Coran. If you could all just line up in rows parallel to this bus, 16 and older in one line, everyone else in the other, we can get this squared away.” Lance looked around him to see most of the kids there were probably right on the cusp of that age division; he knew the person he’d been sitting next to on the bus, Pidge, couldn’t have been more than 15. Too young to be here, all of them were. 

The bus pulled away and Coran took a deep breath as he watched it pull away. When he turned around, Lance almost jumped backwards. He smiled warmly at them, like he wasn’t ripping them out of their homes against their will. Well, their families were helping with that, so it wasn’t completely his fault. 

“Well, now that the outsiders are gone, I’ll start on the list.” Coran pulled out a small notepad and pen. “Preferred name, preferred pronouns, and reason you’re here?” He said, looking at Lance, pen at the ready.

He blinked. “What?”

“You’re here because your family sent you here to be ‘fixed’, right? Well, we don’t believe you need to be.” Coran said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “We want to  _ help  _ you, not break you.” 

Lance still hesitated, but figured it was his job as one of the oldest here to keep tensions low and off the others. “Lance McClain, he or him, and I’m bi.” 

Coran jotted it down and smiled again. “Climb into the new bus, if you will.”

“And... where is that again?”

“Right, I parked it away, one second.” He ran off around a line of trees without another word.

“How far do you think we could run?” Pidge asked from a few people behind him in the second line.

“I think that would just make it worse.” Lance sighed. The sound of a car starting up ripped through the morning and followed Coran back around the corner. “And to answer the question, not very far.”

The Camp S.A.G.A bus was big and creaky and the leather seats were mostly worn down or ripped, the air was thick and humid and it looked like one of the emergency doors was bent just enough to pop open if they hit a pothole straight on. The angry sounding beast lurched to a stop and it looked like one of the wheels was about to give way once Coran got out. Totally safe.

Lance debated trying to run away anyways--he had $20 hidden in the case of his phone, how far would that take him in a cab or bus?--but he realized that no matter what happened, people were going to be like his family anywhere he went. They’d shun him, refuse him a job, refuse him housing, refuse him basic human decency. As he climbed into the bus, trying to find a seat that wasn’t ripped, Coran continued with his list. The names of his fellow “campers” floated through the open bus doors, and Lance tried putting faces to the ones he heard. A young girl named Emma who was sent here just before turning 16 for kissing her friend at a party. A boy, older than Lance, was transgender and gave both his birth name, Abby, and real name, Alex. Sophia, Nick, Emily, Ricky, Jacob, Jose, Amelia, Ross, May, Hannah, Leelah, Jordan, Pidge (whose birth name was Katie, so he couldn't tell where Pidge had come from), there were so many kids, Lance wanted to punch something. 

They were just  _ kids _ . Nonbinary, Transgender, Gay, Lesbian, A-spec, they were all just trying to be who they really were. One of the youngest, May, started crying as soon as she stepped onto the bus. Only 14 and being sent here to this hell hole that made even Lance scared to think about... he couldn’t imagine being so young. Once everyone was on the bus, Coran shut the doors and looked over all of them, a sad look in his eyes. 

“How many of you think this is going to be the worst place you’ve ever been to?” He asked. Everyone looked warily at each other rather than answer him. “Don’t worry. We’ll change your minds. It was important to keep everyone under the impression that this is a conversion camp.”

He got back into the driver’s seat and got the beast roaring to life again. It lurched forward, nearly tossing Lance into Pidge and Pidge into the aisle. The only person who dared to speak was the older girl comforting May in the backseat with a low voice. They jostled along a dirt path that carved through a bright green forest despite the cold. Pidge mumbled something about hating the outdoors, but Lance decided not to pick up on it. Anything they could do to keep Coran’s attention off them was probably the best route to go. 

Lance had seen pictures of this place online. It looked kind of like a normal summer camp. Forest, lake, dock, kids running around. Of course he’d been struggling through tears at the time, so maybe he’d missed something, but he had not been prepared for the size of the buildings surrounding this lake. There were three major ones, labeled Dorms, Main Hall, and Extracurricular Hall. They were positioned around the lake which was about the size of a football field. 

That made Lance’s heart break, just a little. School had started about an hour ago. With English first period, he’d be just staring Biology. He wondered how long it would take his friends Nyma and Rollo to figure out he was gone, not just ditching or sick. Simple things like football games and class wouldn’t even be an option to him anymore, not stuck in here. 

The bus came to a screeching halt just outside the Main Hall where a pleasant looking man stood with two others who looked about early twenties. Coran jumped up and started ushering the first rows out the doors. 

“Welcome to Camp S.A.G.A.” Coran said, gesturing out the front window to a large sigh with the same name across it.

Lance hadn’t seen the periods between the letters before and couldn’t imagine what they stood for, but the website said something about a saga being some sort of story of achievement “like the one for you child’s future!” so he was already predispositioned to believe whatever it was was going to make him angry.

They filed out, heads low and shoulders drooping. 

“I am Alfor,” the other man said, stepping forward. “I can see that no one took Coran seriously when he said this isn’t actually a conversion camp.”

Pidge scoffed next to him and Lance coughed into his hand, trying to cover it up. He looked over, but Pidge’s eyes were hard trained on the group in front of them trying to pretend they hadn’t gotten paid to torture everyone on that bus. He couldn’t say he was thrilled either. 

“Hopefully we can change your minds.” The younger male said. “I’m Shiro and this is Allura.” 

“We hope you’ll come to actually enjoy it here.” Allura said, her voice warm and smooth like honey. Her eyes fell on May, sniffling slightly in the midst of their group. “Darling, are you alright?”

“Why should we believe you?” Lance asked. They could fake the welcome, they could pretend to care, but his family had been doing that for 17 years and still sent him here because he’d gotten caught watching a boy walk past them at a New Year’s Party. Fake it and get back out. In just a few months school would be over with graduation assuming he didn’t miss finals. He’d just... have to hide again.

The thought made him want to throw up. 

Allura didn’t seem surprised by his accusation or hurt by his tone. “What’s your name?” 

“Lance.” He muttered.

She nodded. “Well, if you want, we won’t force you to do anything here but eat and sleep. You get a dorm room with a roommate, three meals a day, and free reign of the grounds.”

“I think I’ll just take a room.” 

Alfor nodded. “Shiro, Allura, lead the way. Coran and I will handle the rest of the new campers.”

Coran and Alfor set off, leaving about 25 LGBT+ teens with Shiro and Allura. The older two lead the group around the end of the Main Hall, pointing out where they go to eat at 8, 12:30, and 6:30, and then up to the Dorms. 

“We have open dorms, any gender, any sexuality, just based on preference. We can set up everyone’s rooms, some of you will be bunked with current campers if that’s alright. Anything you brought, you get to keep, anything you buy or make you keep.“

Lance could hardly keep himself from rolling his eyes as Shiro talked about how great staying here could be. 

The kids went one by one, filling out a small form and getting settled into a joining room. Pidge left before Lance, paired up with a current camper named Shay. Pidge shrugged when asked about her own gender, saying she supposed Demigirl probably fit the best, she she’s go by either she or they and said she couldn’t care less about her prefered roommate’s gender; pretty much, she just continued shrugging throughout the rest of the questions. 

“So, Lance?” Allura remembered. “Do you have preferences about your roommate?”

“Can I ask for a boy?”

“I don’t see why not.” Shiro wrote it down.

Lance raised his eyebrow. “Even though I’m bi?”

“That answers that question.”

“No, like, solitary confinement?”

“Would you rather that?” Shiro asked teasingly.

“No, no, boy is fine.” 

“Room 5B. Your roommate’s name is Keith Kogane.”

Lance looked down at the list, room 5B written next to where Shiro had just pencilled him in next to another boy. “Keith huh?”

He wandered down the hall until he came to the right door. Lance knocked lightly and with n response, let himself in. One side of the room had a humble amount of possessions stashed on a night stand and stuffed under the bed. There was a phone charger, a book with a worn out cover, a crumpled up piece of paper, almost nothing to help him figure out who his new roommate was. All he knew was his name.

“Fantastic.” He mumbled, collapsing onto the bed. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he didn’t move to check it. If it was his mother, he was going to start crying. If it was his father, he was going to throw his phone across the room. If it was anyone else, he’d probably just stare at the screen until it turned off and lit back up from another message. Instead, he tried to ignore it, staring at the wood ceiling. There was a soft knock at the door that pulled Lance back to Earth.

“Lance?” It sounded like Allura.

In other circumstances, Lance probably would have been all over her, she was gorgeous. Her white hair looked so soft and most likely smelled like pine trees and her beautiful skin was probably really warm but Lance was too out of it to even try. A two hour bus drive to his doom was bound to do that.

“What?” He wasn’t sure why didn’t just let her think he was asleep or running away.

The door was silent but one of the floorboards creaked slightly as she came in. “I thought I would let you know that your friends are settled in. A few of them are joining us for dinner in a few hours, but we’re used to missing some new members the first day or two.”

“We’re not really  _ friends _ we just met.” He mumbled. They were just innocent kids stuck in the same hell as he was, Lance barely knew everyone’s name.

“That could change while you’re here.” She said softly.

He finally turned his head to look at her. “How can someone who seems so nice work at a place like this?”

Allura smiled a little and sat at the end of the other bed. “I know you don’t believe that this is a safe place, but it is. Alfor is my dad and he and Coran started this place together for kids like all of you.”

“Yeah I’m stoked to be here, really. Can’t wait to start praying that gay away.” Lance propped himself up on his elbows to better stare her down and make her admit she was part of an evil scheme trying to tear him apart at the seams.

“Will you come with me, Lance? I’ve asked a few of the campers to come with me for a walk around the camp? Your friend Pidge is coming along.”

Lance wouldn’t have pegged Pidge for the type of person to agree to that so part of him was sure she was lying. Still, he found himself wanting so much for her words to be true that his mouth started to agree before his brain knew what was going on. “Fine. Only if Pidge is going.”

Allura beamed. “Perfect! I just have a few more campers to talk to and we’ll head out!” She breezed out of the room, leaving Lance to wonder what he’d gotten himself into. 

His phone buzzed again and it was like he’d been electrocuted. He jumped up from his bed and hurried out the door, far from that hairsplitting trill that was going to give him a raging headache. In the hall he spotted a few of the others: May with her older friend who he over heard was named Josie, most of the younger kids and even Pidge. 

“So she did get you out here.” He said as he walked up to Pidge. 

“Only by saying you were being dragged along.” She mumbled. 

Lance shrugged. “Same here.”

“We’ve been played.”

“We’re in hell, Pidge, I think that’s going to happen a lot here.”

“Alright let’s head out!” Allura said cheerfully. Shiro came up from behind them and the two led their rag tag group of dejected campers out the front doors.

Lance hadn’t realized how much time had passed since they’d arrived. It was probably 4 by now and his stomach was grumbling as they passed the Main Hall’s Cafeteria. There was a little nudge at his elbow and he looked down to see Pidge handing him a granola bar. This child was a godsend. Lance munched as they walked along, past the lake where Allura introduced a few people, through the starts of a few nature paths, but the view from the top of the hill... Lance was sure his heart skipped a beat. 

“This is beautiful.” He said breathlessly.

Shiro smiled. “It’s the perfect place to come if you want to get away.”

He could hardly believe it. This place really seemed... nice. As they’d been walking around, Lance was sure he’d find something--he’d been  _ looking _ for it--but it seemed Allura was right. Pidge’s shoulders were less hunched, May had stopped crying, and a few of the younger kids even ran off to the trails once Allura and Shiro led them back. For a moment, Lance could imagine being happy again, he could see a little flicker of hope.

But as soon as he got back to his room and saw the light flash on his phone to indicate a message was waiting for him, it all came crashing back down. This wasn’t a summer camp, this was a pray-the-gay-away camp. Allura and Shiro weren’t counselors, they were therapists who were supposed to “help” him. He fell back down on the bed, not caring that doing so knocked his phone to the floor. Maybe it broke and he’d have no way to see those messages after all. The little trill of a new notification told him that wasn’t the case. 

“Leave me alone.” He groaned, turning to bury his face in his pillow. 

“Can you at least turn it off then?”

Lance jumped at the new voice. He looked up to see a boy had come out of the little bathroom they shared with the room on the other side of it with black jeans and a dark gray t-shirt. Great, he had an emo roommate, why not? His dark hair was wet and he had a towel draped over it like he was trying to keep it down. 

“It’s been going off since I got back.” The skinny boy fell onto his own bed.

“My bad.” Lance picked it up and shoved it under his pillow.

Keith hesitated then said, “You should be happy people still want to talk to you, especially on your first day here.”

Lance was sure he could hear his eyes rolling in his head. “Yeah, my family sends me here to hell on Earth and I should be happy they’re trying to call me.”

“It’s better than the alternative.” Keith said, glancing over to a bag of stuff where he no doubt had his phone stashed. 

He kind of felt like a jerk now, but Lance wasn’t about to check his phone because of it. Instead, he sat up and put his elbows on his knees, leaning towards Keith. “Are you supposed to be some kind of double agent? You act like you’re here just like me but really you’ve going to start playing with my head and try to get me to convert?”

Keith looked like he was going to laugh. “Absolutely not. I’m gay.” Obviously Lance didn’t seem convinced because he continued. “I swear, I’m not going to start mind swishing you.”

“Did you just call it mind swishing?”

“One of the younger kids that was on the bus with me called it that and it caught on with a lot of us.” 

“When did you get here?”

Keith thought for a moment. “End of July, just before the school year started. My dad didn’t want me being gay for senior year so here I am, 3 months later, probably more gay than when I left.”

Lance raised his eyebrow. 

“Don’t worry about it.” Keith waved his hand to dismiss the conversation then tossed his towel on the end of his bed as he got to his feet. “It’s almost dinner time and if you want a seat close to the food, you have to go early.” 

“If this place isn’t a conversion camp, then what is it?”

“Just what they told you it was. Each time a bus comes in there’s a few who won’t believe what’s right in front of their eyes because they’re scared--”

“I’m  _ not  _ scared.” He insisted.

“It’s really just a safe space for people that we know don’t have a support system at home.”

“How could you know that?”

“You just threw your phone under your pillow to avoid looking at it.”

“Maybe I’m mad at a friend.”

“You said they sent you to, and I quote, ‘hell on Earth’.”

“I still don’t believe you.” Lance decided.

Keith had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he glanced his new roommate over then surprised Lance even more. He leaned forward and gave Lance an extremely flirty smile, their faces inches from each other. “Like I said, you’d better hurry if you want a good seat.” He said softly, winking as he turned and left the room.

Lance was stuck on his bed for what felt like hours before his brain reconnected itself. Maybe Keith  _ was  _ gay... He shook his head to lose the thought.  _ He’s trying to mind swish you, Lance, don’t get distracted. _

A strangled groan escaped from his stomach and he figured it would be good to eat more than just a granola bar today. He walked down to Pidge’s dorm room to find her asleep and the room dark so Lance decided to bring something back rather than wake her. The sun was low on the horizon as he found his way to the Main Hall, the light nearly blinding as he passed the lake. His younger sister would have been the first to ask about jumping in, even despite the cold air. February was just a word to her, not a reason to avoid a body of water. A lump in his throat formed and he considered for just a moment going back to get his phone. 

As he did, he passed one of the signs for Camp S.A.G.A. and that lump was replaced with anger. Lance kicked the edge of the sign hard enough to knock it sideways just a little. He kicked it again, making the ground loose beneath it. He kicked it again and again and again until it came loose and clattered to the ground. He’d probably get extra shock therapy for that, but his hands were still shaking so he slammed his foot down on top, trying to break it. A bell rang from the Main Hall, pulling Lance out of his fit of anger. His hands slid back into his pockets and he continued to towards the sound, aware that anyone could link him to the vandalism but not having enough energy to care very much.. 

The Main Hall was a huge room and yet only 100 or so campers made it feel crowded. He spotted a group of kids from the bus standing off to the side like they were nervous to step into the fray. As one of the oldest in their group, Lance figured the duty of figuring the place out fell on his shoulders. He found a spot in line and didn’t give it up, beckoning them over once he caught a few of their eyes. 

The others obviously weren’t as keen on shoving their way through, but he insisted and soon enough they made their way over, Lance letting them in front of him to grab plates and food. They didn’t know what kind of slop the would get, but the older ones seemed to agree the younger kids should eat something and kept the little ones moving ahead. To their surprise, it was real food. There were sandwiches, bowls of fruit, rolls, salad, a small variety of barbecue meats, even a few vegan and vegetarian options. They may have won this round, but Lance had a sneaking suspicion this was all to lure them into a false sense of security. They could tell their parents they wouldn’t hate it here, their parents wouldn’t worry and then  _ boom  _ the torture would begin. 

That’s what Lance contemplated as he ate, eyes scanning the room for some kind of proof this was all a ruse. Maybe it also doubled as a summer camp. Maybe only certain busses would get the conversion treatment and they were all hiding in a basement somewhere. While he may have been thinking all this, he couldn’t let it show. Lance had to make sure the others didn’t lose hope before everything started or they wouldn’t last. He couldn’t be sure just why he felt so protective over these kids he’d just met but there was something connecting them; he couldn’t try to save himself and just leave the rest of them behind. 

After dinner there was a round of announcements, mostly going over the basic rules for everyone new. Curfew was at 9 unless you have special permission, they weren’t supposed to go on trails 5-7 alone, and they couldn’t take too long to shower because the hot water would turn off after 10 minutes. 

They were released after that but Lance took his time leaving. He had nowhere to be other than handing food to Pidge. He’d swiped a few things throughout the meal to give her once he returned. The door was open when he walked up and Lance got his first glance of Pidge’s roommate, a girl named Shay. 

She smiled a little then gestured towards the still sleeping Pidge and put a finger to her lips. Lance nodded and set the plate down on a little table in the corner of the room. They stepped out so as not to wake their friend.

“Thanks, I was going to go back once everyone had gone for some leftovers, but thanks to you, I do not need to.” Shay’s voice was smooth and pleasant and definitely had an accent he couldn’t quite place. 

His first instinct was to ask her why she was here but he fought down the urge. Shay’s short dark hair stuck out in points on the sides of her head and she had big bright eyes and a happy smile; Lance figured she was one of those kids who was here for the actual summer camp, not the conversion torture like he was. 

“No problem.” He glanced back inside where Pidge’s glasses were being squashed into her face. “I’ve kind of adopted her and I can’t say why.”

Shay peaked in too. “So have I and she fell asleep almost as soon as I walked in. Too precious.”

“Wait until they wake up.” Lance smiled. 

They said goodbye and Lance returned to his own room, now dark and empty. Keith wasn’t hiding away in the bathroom again which meant he could let go of that little sigh he’d been holding waiting for him to pop back up. The boy was cute, but he had more important things to deal with. He waited and plotted, shutting his phone all the way off to avoid the stupid light. 

Eventually, there was a bell that signaled the curfew time and Keith muddled back in. Lance pretended to be asleep while he got ready for bed. He wasn’t sure how long he waited but it probably wasn’t long enough. As he slid open the window of their room and crawled out, he caught his untied laces on the window sill and tumbled out into the bush just underneath. Keith moved inside so Lance tripped over his feet trying to get up. 

“Lance?” Keith mumbled, coming to the window.

“No...”

“What the hell are you doing? It’s like 11.”

“Wow, you fall asleep too early, old man.”

“Get back in this window!”

He scoffed. “No way.” Lance picked himself up and started heading away.

“Lance!”

“I have to find proof, it’s driving me  _ insane _ .”

Keith groaned and there was a loud rustling as he tumbled out after him and into the bush. Lance started walking faster, trying to lose himself in the shadows only to have a light pop up from behind him.

“Did you bring your cell phone?” He demanded, holding a hand up to block his eyes as he turned towards Keith.

“There is a reason they made a flashlight app, Lance, it’s helpful.”

“Well then you’re going to have to follow me around and help me not fall to my death.” He grumbled, turning to continue on his way.

“I will make you eat it if you don’t come back with me right now.”

“Try it, Mullet.”

“Leave the hair out of this!”

“Have you not gotten a  _ haircut  _ since you got here?”

“Shut up.”

“Get down!” Lance whispered through his teeth. 

He pulled Keith down by the arm and ducked behind a sign pointing out the trail heads. They snuffed the light as someone walked past then Lance was on the move again. He found his way to a small shack along a path. Snatching the phone away from Keith, he peered through the windows, hoping and not hoping that he’d find something there. 

“This is a toolshed.” Keith sighed.

“That’s what it looks like.” Lance countered. “That’s just what they want us to think.”

They waited and looked until Lance was sure there was nothing but gardening tools inside. Then there was another one, this time with a lawnmower, those pointy sticks people use to pick up garbage--“no, Lance, they’re not going to stab you with them”--and still more tools--”okay Keith, but who needs that many rakes?”--and he had to admit it all looked normal.

“Can we go to bed now?” Keith asked, looking around like someone was going to pop out of thin air.

“What, do you need me to hold your hand?” Lance asked, heading around the shed. 

Keith scoffed but followed him around anyways. If his roommate went missing in the middle of the night again, he’d get more than weird looks. “You know, I was pretty bad when I first showed up here too.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” Keith nodded. “Except I actually made it up to the attic and-- oh he’s gone.”

Lance’s profile had already passed out of the reach of Keith’s phone light. He groaned and headed back towards the dorm rooms. If he pretended he was asleep, maybe he could convince Allura that he had nothing to do with that. He figured that wouldn’t work and so he hurried through the hall, trying to catch him before he reached the door at the end of the hall. 

The door swung closed just as Keith reached it and yanked it open again. “Lance!” He called up the stairs to the door in the ceiling that lead up to Lance.

“Keith, what the  _ hell  _ is this?” 

He sighed then pounded up the ladder-like stairs to the attic, nearly throwing the door into Lance’s calves as he shoved it open and climbed up into the room.

“Ah, that. I see they haven’t taken that out yet...” he said, unsure of where to look because he was definitely  _ not  _ looking Lance in the eyes.

Lance was losing his mind over a large metal contraption with hooks and spikes that Keith had found just months earlier. He figured once he’d stumbled upon it  _ someone  _ would have taken it away, but clearly not. It was still sitting there in all its leather clad glory.

“You knew this was up here and you still tried to get me to drop it? You knew it was up here and you’re just going to stand there and-- are you  _ laughing  _ at me?” Lance glared hard at Keith who was struggling not to start giggling.

“I’m sorry, I just, I remember the first time I saw this and thought it was the same thing you do.” He struggled out.

“Of course it is! Look at it!”

“No, Lance,  _ you  _ look at it.” Keith insisted. “Look without the perspective of a lunatic, maybe that will help.” Lance glared at him more. “I’m not going to spell it out for you okay, it’s just not what you first thought it was.”

Lance noted the pink rise to the other’s cheeks and turned back to the torture machine. Bars, straps, spikes, leather... gloves... a whip.... “Oh my god.”

“There it is.”

“What the hell.”

“That’s what I first said.”

“No, I mean  _ what the hell _ ? This is a camp for minors!”

Keith shrugged. “I really don’t know.” 

Neither of them was willing to even look each other in the eye. Below them, there was a sound that made both boys hold their breath lest they be found out. They waited and listened as Allura mumbled something then closed and locked the door up to the attic. Her footsteps faded away and Keith groaned. 

“Great.”

“There should be a back door.” Lance said.

“Oh yeah, sure,  _ where _ ? We’re above the first floor, Lance.” Keith pointed out.

“With more stairs, obviously.” Lance said plopping himself down as far from the dominatrix machine as he could get. “How are we supposed to get out?”

“I don’t know.” Keith sighed, running a hand through his tangled mess of black hair.

“Well I don’t know about you, but the fact that you knew this thing was up here makes it a little hard to sleep.”

“Hey, I’ve never used it!” 

Lance lifted one eyebrow. “Mhm, sure.” 

“Lance!”

“I’m just saying, you kind of set me up to come here.”

“And I’m just saying, if you don’t shut up, I’ll make a door to get out of using your head.” Keith grumbled, falling down against another wall, steering clear of the machine as well as keeping space between him and Lance which the latter found somewhat amusing. Neither of them had mentioned what happened before dinner earlier, but that didn’t mean they’d forgotten it either. He clicked on his phone and soon a song started playing. Lance nearly burst out laughing; of course outwardly emo Keith would be inwardly emo too, who else would play 30 Seconds to Mars at a time like this?

“Are you sure you’re gay?” He asked, narrowing his eyes at the other boy.

It was Keith’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Umm, yeah?”

“You sure break a lot of stereotypes.”

“I come from a small family. I had to be the gay cousin  _ and  _ the black sheep.”

This time Lance did start laughing, imagining a family picture of Keith in his dark T-shirt and jeans surrounded by girls in sundresses and other boys in polos. It was almost too much to handle. Keith smiled a little. Lance’s laugh was contagious, especially since it was so late and he was leaning off to one side with a hand on his chest as he tried to catch his breath. A sharp tap at the floor made them both jump and sobered them almost immediately. Keith lifted the door down to the stairs to see a small face with glasses and a keyboard imprint across one cheek.

“You two are so damn loud!”

“Pidge!” Lance cried. “Pidge you saved us!” 

“What the  _ hell _ is that thing.” Pidge asked, sitting with her legs dangling over the stairs.

“My child’s innocence!” Lance put his hands over her eyes. “Keith, cover your monstrosity with something, there are children around!”

“Wait that’s  _ yours _ ?” Pidge squeaked as she shoved Lance’s hands away.

“No!” 

Pidge looked just as convinced as Lance had. “Okay, sure buddy. I won’t say anything. You, however, were the one up here with him with the door locked.” She said pointing a finger in Lance’s direction.

He did his best to look offended. “Pidge, I thought you knew me better!”

“I’ve known you for, like, a day.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “How did you even get the door open?”

Pidge pulled a bobby pin from her hair and held it up like it was the only explanation needed. “Your foreplay was so loud I needed to come up here and tell you to shut up.”

Both boys groaned, but decided not to fight about the matter anymore.

“Anyways, I’m Keith.” He offered.

“Ka-Pidge. And no, I will not join in.”

“Oh my God, Pidge.” Lance groaned. 

She snickered. “Anyways, why are you two up here then?”

“Lance wanted to find proof this place is really a conversion camp.” Keith simplified.

“Hey, those sheds could have been--”

“But they aren’t. They’re just sheds with gardening tools, okay?”

“Plenty of hoes in this place I guess.” Pidge said with a smile. Even Keith had to laugh at that. 

The two boys took turns interrupting each other to tell her they’d run around the grounds looking in random windows with nothing torturous hidden behind them. Keith tried again to say he’d felt the same way when he’d been sent here and Lance was staring to believe him despite his fears.

“So this really is a good place for people like us.” Pidge said, her eyes hopeful.

Keith nodded. “It really is. I’m gay. It was a problem for some people, but here... it feels safe. Safer than the closet ever did.”

Pidge smiled a little to herself. “I came out as Aro Ace first, but they just told me ‘You’re only 15, no one has those kinds of feelings at your age!’, yeah, okay guys, sure they don’t.”

Lance snorted. “Yeah, I definitely didn’t have that kind of attraction when I was 15.” He said sarcastically.

“It was the gender that tipped them over the edge. I got into a fight with a guy at school who said I was just trying to be special.”

“Did you punch him?” Keith asked.

Pidge nodded. “Gave him a bloody nose.”

“You’re a conservative white man’s worst nightmare.” Lance joked.

She shrugged. “Not having any kind of attraction leaves a lot more time in the day to plot world domination, so that’s a plus.”

They stayed there for a bit longer until Keith realized it was nearly 2 in the morning and insisted they go to bed. They followed Pidge back down and went to their own beds. Pidge collapsed and fell asleep again as soon as her head hit the pillow. Keith and Lance fell down too, questions about the other bubbling around in their minds but neither one spoke. There would be time to ask them later.


	2. Camp Activities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance shrugged. “We can grab Pidge if we need to pick the lock.”
> 
> “You’re going to expose your precious child to that again?”
> 
> “To your sex dungeon? No, just to the door.”
> 
> “Oh my God, Lance.”

Lance woke before Keith the next morning. He figured it was from getting up and ready for school so he didn’t wake the other. Instead, he padded over to the bathroom they shared with the pair on the other side of the wall--two boys younger than them named Max and Ryan--to wash his face like normal. Even though it was still sharing a bathroom, being away from him made it feel bigger and less cramped. That may have also come from the fact that no one left a million things scattered across the counter tops. 

He finished but his roommate was still fast asleep. Before he could figure out someway to “accidentally” wake him up, there was a knock at the door. Lance opened it to find Pidge rubbing her eyes in the doorway.

“Morning.” He said, moving for her to come in.

She just yawned in response and plopped down on the end of Lance’s bed.

“What’s up?” He asked.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“It’s too early for that Pidge, it’s like not even 8.” He whinned.

“I blame you.” She retorted. “I’ve been thinking about this place and if it’s real.”

Lance pinched her shoulder, receiving a sharp slap out of reflex. “Ow! Well, there you go, you’re not dreaming.”

Pidge rubbed her arm then looked over at Keith. “He’s still asleep? Shouldn’t everyone be on some kind of schedule?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, a rell rang through the building from speakers in the hall, making Keith sit up like he’d been shocked. “I’m up.” He slurred.

“I suppose that answers that question.”

Keith rubbed the sleep from his eyes and slowly registered that the other two were also in the room.

“Morning, sleepy head.” Lance said teasingly.

“Leave me alone.” He grumbled, practically falling out of bed and stumbling to the bathroom.

“He seems like a lovely roommate.” Pidge said as the door closed behind him. 

“At least he isn’t too messy.” He shrugged. “Come on, yesterday he said you have to get there early to get a good spot so if everyone is just waking up now, we’ve got dibs.”

They left the room and caught up with Shay and picked out seats closest to the buffet tables. Only a few other campers were there, but the others started to file in all at the same time about ten minutes later. They spotted Keith come in with Shiro from a door in the back and Lance about lost his mind.

“Pidge, Pidge, Pidge, look!” He said, waving his hand in front of her face and pointing over to them.

“Yes, Lance, that’s Keith. You may remember him from your sexcapade last night.”

Shay’s eyes widened in shock. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Long story--and it was not a sexcapade!--but that’s not what I’m talking about.  _ Look  _ at him!”

Pidge sighed. “What about him?”

“He’s smiling.”

“People do that.”

“But it’s different than last night, that’s the I’m-smiling-because-I-like-you smile, Keith totally has a crush on Shiro!” Lance said, keeping his head in close to the girls just in case someone was listening in.

“Oh yes. From the first day he got here, he’s had that smile.” Shay agreed. “He was a little abrasive once he realized Shiro and Allura were quite in love, but I believe he’s settled in with the idea.”

Pidge shook her head. “It just looks like he’s trying to be friends now then.”

“I don’t know, Keith seems like the kind of guy to go for Shiro’s kind of guy.” Lance noted. 

“Are you the type of person who thinks people can’t be with friends with someone of their preferred gender?”

“What, no.”

“I’m just saying.” She said, putting a huge bite of pancake in her mouth. “It would explain why you have no friends.”

“Hey! I will have you know I am relatively popular in school!”

“Mhm.” 

Shay waved over to him and they stopped the conversation as Keith walked over, taking a seat next to her and across from Pidge. “You guys grabbed a good spot, I can take a lot longer getting ready in the morning now.”

“Yeah, you could spend more than a  _ whole minute _ .” Lance said, looked disapprovingly at his messy hair. “Do you own a hairbrush?”

Keith rolled his eyes, but before he could retort, breakfast was being served and it was every camper for themself.

Lance began to come to terms with the fact that Camp S.A.G.A. really was a safe haven in disguise. His days were filled with swimming in the lake rather than taking tests, going on little hikes instead of studying, and making friends from all over the state rather than hiding in the closet. Every single joke he’d ever bitten back could finally be said--”Hey, I’m just trying to get bi”, “Well we can’t all be as white and straight as Fox news”, “Lance, you have to pick a lane” “That’s biphobic”--and it was amazing. Pidge always cracked a smile or made her own joke on top of it but the real kicker was when Keith joined in. 

By their fourth day there, they were introduced to a new “counselor”--Lance couldn’t believe they had to wear a shirt that said that on the back, they were pretty much paid to hang out and the only requirement was to not be an asshole to LGBTA+ kids--who they introduced as Hunk. He fit the name too; he was huge, probably Samoan, and could probably bench press a Pidge or two, but at the same time he seemed warm and friendly.

“Wow, he’s huge.” Lance muttered in amazement.

“Yeah, like I don’t already feel short enough with you two beanpoles and Shay.” Pidge grumbled.

“You’re only 13, are you not? You just haven’t hit your growth spurt yet.” Shay offered.

“I’m 15.”

Keith whistled. “Damn, you’re short.”

“Shut up.”

Shay giggled then hushed them as Coran and Alfor made a show of welcoming Hunk to the “team”. He seemed sort of bashful but there was a light hearted quality about him that made Lance figure he’d make a good “counselor”. The buzz surrounding him quickly evaporated as breakfast was revealed and chaos erupted. 

After everyone had a chance to eat, they were released and Lance headed straight for the trails. The forests were so much more alive here than anywhere he’d been before despite the cold air. Lance could see his breath as he headed to the trailheads, but growing up in a crowded home made him thankful for moments of peace. Pidge preferred staying in doors and had even rigged up a sort of mad scientist lab on one side of her room with Shay. As Lance headed down, he noticed Shiro was giving Hunk a walk around the grounds with Keith tagging along. So that’s where he always hid away whenever everyone else was busy. Lance jogged over and introduced himself to Hunk whose personality was far too soft and cuddly for his muscled exterior. 

“Where are you headed, Lance?” Shiro asked.

He appreciated that everyone was so nice, but Shiro sometimes had a way of feeling like he was trying to be Team Dad and it was a little awkward since he was also so damn attractive. He had to give Keith at least that much. “I’m going to race the trail around the lake. Apparently there’s a record time for it and I need to break it  _ now _ .”

Keith nearly laughed. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

“Keith’s the one who set the record.” Shiro explained.

Lance narrowed his eyes in challenge. “Now I really have to beat it.”

“Why don’t you bring Hunk along with you, he can meet the other campers down there.” Shiro suggested as he started backtracking. “I’m supposed to help Allura and Coran plan for the next drop off in a few days.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve got this.” Keith said, waving him off.

“We?” Lance repeated.

“You think I’m going to let you ‘break’ my record when I’m not there to make sure you’re not cheating? I don’t think so.”

They lead Hunk down to the lake and introduced him to a few of the other campers who were lounging near the shore and a few hanging off the dock. Lance tore off his jacket and shivered.

“We’re going to start on the count of three.” Keith told him, plopping down on the edge of the dock. “You have to stay within a few feet of the edge for it to count.” 

“I’m so going to get this.” Lance said, bouncing a little bit.

Hunk seemed amused by their rivalry. “How long have you two been together?” He asked.

“We’re not-”

“No way-”

“This isn’t-”

“We just met-”

“He’s got a  _ mullet _ !”

Hunk threw his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, sorry, I got the wrong impression there. My bad.”

“They’re ‘roommates’ as far as they’re ready to tell people.” Pidge said as she walked up, Shay following behind.

“Don’t you hate being outside?” Keith asked.

“Doesn’t the sun burn vampires?” She countered.

“Ouch.” Hunk laughed. “I’m Hunk by the way.”

“Pidge. This is Shay. We heard you’re going to beat the record Lance.”

“He’d going to  _ try _ .” Keith corrected. “If he ever gets in the damn water!”

“Fine fine fine! Get ready to be blown away!” 

Hunk indicated he was ready and Lance took a deep breath. Keith counted down and as as the word “three” left his mouth, he launched himself forward. Just before he did, Pidge considered knocking his shoulder and throwing him off, but she kind of wanted to see the record beat too so she refrained. Lance just had to make it around the perimeter of the lake in under 3 minutes and 47 seconds to beat Keith’s record. Pidge and Shay cheered him on, much to Keith’s annoyance. Hunk tried staying neutral, but he got excited as the clock started to get closer and closer to 3 and a half minutes. He was so close, only a few more feet and just a few seconds.

“Come on Lance!” Pidge yelled. “Final stretch!” 

Lance practically fell in behind them and Hunk stopped the time, his eyes wide. “You’re never going to believe this.”

“Did I beat him?” Lance asked as Keith snatched the phone away to check for himself.

Pidge and Shay crowded over his shoulders as the boy started laughing. Lance took heavy, labored breaths as his body finally realized just how cold he was. “What did I get?”

“3 minutes.” Shay said.

“And 47 seconds.” Pidge added between her laughs. 

“What? No way!”

Keith showed him the screen for himself and sure enough, Lance had tied Keith’s record. They could hardly believe his luck, least of all Lance who started saying something in Spanish so rapidly none of them had any idea what to make of it. 

“I can’t believe you  _ tied _ ,” their neighbor Max said as they sat down for lunch. Lance groaned and slammed his head down on the table, mumbling more Spanish under his breath.

“That’s insane.” His friend agreed as they continued walking past.

“Second for second.” Pidge said with a little shake of her head. “Lance and Keith, neck and neck.”

“Not for long. I’m going to beat him some time.” Lance insisted. He spotted Keith across the room sitting next to Shiro and Allura at one of the other table. “Watch yourself, Kogane.”

Hunk smiled. “It was quite the way to start off a first day.”

“How are you enjoying the camp so far, Hunk?” Shay asked.

Pidge’s eyes passed over the two of them and her eyebrow raised just a bit. Was Shay  _ flirting _ ? Her voice was a little higher, a little different than when she talked to them.

“This place is amazing!” He said with a wide grin.

“You have to see the view from the top of the hill.” She said smiling and Pidge knew she was flirting now. “It’s glorious.”

“We should go do that after lunch.” Lance suggested.

Pidge nearly slammed her palm into her own face. He was an oblivious idiot, how could he not see Shay was asking to go just the two of them? “Aren’t you going to try to beat that record again Lance?”

“That lake’s going to be there when we get back.” This boy was useless. 

Pidge tried her best to keep Lance walking next to her so Shay could walk with Hunk but any time something cool would pop out of the bushes or Lance just had to say something, he’d jump between them and grab Hunk’s attention. She knew he wasn’t purposefully being a jackass, but he was doing a good job of it regardless. 

“You may not get that chance to beat the record as soon as you thought.” Hunk said as they approached the top of the hill. 

Lance looked at the impending storm clouds and his shoulders fell. 

“I told you.” Pidge pointed out.

They finally reached the top and the view was even better than last time. The surrounding trees seemed brighter, like they knew rain was coming. The sky was dark and stormy and beautiful with clouds rolling towards them. 

“It looks like it might be a thunderstorm.” Pidge said excitedly.

“You like thunder?” Shay asked with a little shiver.

“Absolutely! The rain and thunder is just so relaxing.”

“If you say so...”

“How did you two even get paired up?” Hunk asked, looking between them like they might have been two different species.

“Pidge isn’t picky.” Shay said with a little smile to her tiny roommate.

“And Shay’s room was empty.” Pidge shrugged but smiled a little too.

They waited for a bit before deciding to head back to the dorms, Lance hoping to get in the lake once more today before the storm came. When they made it back down the hill though, Pidge noticed a sign that she and Lance hadn’t seen before.

“Resume workshop.” She read. “Shay, what’s this?”

“You didn’t take the official tour did you?” She asked. They both shook their heads. “Come, I will show you how much better this place can be.”

The four of them headed into a little building with a few other campers sitting at computers. Coran smiled as they walked in and asked them to pick any seat they wanted. He handed them a sheet of paper with bulleted points like a checklist of what a good resume should have or look like. 

“So is this like... job help?” Lance asked.

“Oh yes. We won’t be able to keep you all forever so for everyone looking to earn money to move out, find a job to pay for college or even get emancipated, we’re doing our best to help.” Coran explained.

Lance’s heart felt like it might burst. He’d only ever done volunteer work for school or during the summer, but a job around here could mean he didn’t have to go back home. Maybe he could even last through to the summer, at least until he turned 18 even. Pidge could do the same, she could get emancipated so she could stay here or be a counselor and not have to spend another 4 years with the people who sent her away.

“How does emancipation work for kids who are in Foster Care?” She asked quietly. Lance Hunk and Shay looked at her like she’d just taken a sledgehammer to each of their hearts. 

Coran’s eyes were sad too, but he smiled anyways. “Let’s look into it.” 

As it turned out, there were plenty of ways to become emancipated, but most of them were out of the question. Joining the military with Pidge’s small frame and lack of almost all upper body strength was a no and she didn’t plan on getting married anytime soon. Pidge promised to devote as much time as she could to figuring it out and Coran said he would try to get in touch with a few lawyers and get their take on it as well. 

Lance wanted so badly to know what happened, but he knew better than to ask. He could tell the other two wanted to know what happened to their small friend as well, but no one made a move towards the idea. If she didn’t bring it up, she probably wasn’t interested in talking about it. 

“You guys are staring at me.” Pidge noted as they left, all of them with the beginning of what they hoped would be a great resume. 

“No we’re not...” Hunk disagreed. 

“If you want to ask, do it.”

“What happened to your parents?” Lance blurted. He slapped his hand over his mouth and shook his head. “I’m sorry, you don’t need to answer that.”

“It’s okay.” She said with a little sigh. “I said you could ask. When I was little, my dad and older brother were kidnapped. They just disappeared one day when I was about 8. I had no idea what was going on, but my mom was distraught. She got sick by the time I turned 9 and my grandparents were put in charge of raising me until she passed away. After that, my grandmother got sick too so I bounced around at cousin’s houses and I’ve been at my Aunt’s house for two years now.”

If they thought their hearts had broken before, they were shattered beyond repair now. “I’m so sorry Pidge.” Hunk said.

She shrugged. “Life happens. It just happens longer to some than others.” Her voice didn’t waver, but they noticed her brush away a tear from her cheek anyways. 

“Did they ever find your father or brother?” Shay asked.

Pidge shook her head. “I got into the police office once to see what they’d find but they’d already closed the case by then. I don’t think they had much hope of ever finding them. My aunt said that my gender “issues” were me trying to compensate for the fact that I was supposed to have a brother, and my lack of attraction because I never stayed anywhere long enough to form real bonds with other people.”

Lance mussed up her hair a little like he used to do to his little sister. “You’ve done a pretty good job pinning us down.” He said with a smile. “What else do you need?”

 

 

The next day, Hunk Pidge and Lance found out as much as they could about just what was offered for the kids at Camp S.A.G.A. Like the resume workshop, there was a time during the week where they had mock interviews, trips to local job fairs, and even transportation. There was also a therapist office--they ducked in to see a few people sitting around having lunch and decided against going any further just yet--and a small sort of store with everything a transitioning child could want. This place was getting closer and closer to perfect with every day. 

They only finished surveying the entire grounds when they made it back around to the Main Hall, just a bit early for dinner so they decided to sit out on the benches until the dinner bell rang.

“So where are you guys from?” Hunk asked as they watched the lake. 

“California.” Lance answered slowly, his shoulders falling. 

“All over.” Pidge replied. “Mostly around here in Nevada though. What about you?” 

“I’ve lived here in Nevada my whole life. My parents live about three hours away.”

“That’s quite a way to go for work.” Lance mused.

Hunk shrugged a little. “I live in the smaller dorms with the other counselors. I wanted to be somewhere I thought I could help.”

“What are you doing about school?” Pidge asked.

“Taking a year off. My parents were excited for me to find something I really wanted to do and a place to move out so they’ve been supportive.”

“Even if it’s hanging out with a bunch of sinners?” Lance asked, an eyebrow raised. Had he been lying to his parents to get here? Hunk didn’t seem like that type of person.

“They’re cool with it.” He said. “I mean, I’m not in the same position as you two are, but I’m not a straight line either.”

Pidge nearly tumbled off the side of the bench trying to sit up. “Wait a minute, you’re not straight?”

Hunk shook his head. “I’m a you-fall-in-love-with-the-person-not-the-body-parts kind of guy.”

Lance smiled and punched his shoulder lightly. “Welcome to the club then buddy. We’ve got an A-spec, bi, and pan kid represented here. We’re like the beginning of a bad joke.”

“We’re the invisible trio.” Pidge agreed. 

They laughed, both because it was true and because it was finally okay to accept every part of who they were. Hunk had a place he fit in, not that he didn’t feel accepted but there was only so much his straight friends could understand about his situation. Pidge could be whoever she wanted, boy or girl or neither, and while Lance had been making a joke before, she sort of had a brotherly figure back in her life now, maybe even two of them. Lance just liked that he wasn’t afraid anymore. Coming out had been the best and worst thing that ever happened to him; he hadn’t planned on it happening so nothing went right, but now he had nothing to hide. The weight was lifted from all of their shoulders and they took a collective breath of the camp air as the realization set in. 

Keith spotted them staring off into the void as he walked up behind them. “Is there a reason you’re all staring at nothing?”

Pidge nearly jumped out of her skin then spun around and smacked him. “You’re going to give me a heart attack!”

He rubbed his shoulder and laughed a little. “Aren’t you like 15, I doubt you’ll be having a heart attack soon.”

“Hey now we’ve got a ‘G’ to add to the group.”

“No way, Keith’s too emo for this trio.”

“What are you even talking about?” 

“It’s a need to know basis.” Lance said.

“And you don’t need to know.” Pidge finished.

Keith rolled his eyes and sat on Hunk’s other side. “Whatever you say.”

Before they could say anything else, Hunk heard someone calling his name. Allura and Shiro rounded the corner and seemed relieved to see him.

“Hunk, we’ve got a minor problem, think you could help us?” Shiro asked.

“Absolutely.” He jumped up and the three of them disappeared back around the corner they’d emerged from, leaving the three others with an awkward, Hunk-sized space between Lance and Keith.

“What, are you trying to keep the no homo seat? Move over.” Pidge complained, elbowing Lance to move over.

“No homo seat?” Keith asked.

“It’s when two guys go somewhere and keep a seat between them to tell everyone else ‘hey, we’re not together’ because you know, masculinity is fragile.”

“Ouch.” Lance said, looking more hurt about the wound to his male pride than her bony elbows. 

“She’s got a point, that sounds ridiculous.” Keith agreed.

“Because it  _ is _ .” Pidge insisted.

“Fair enough.” Lance shrugged.

The bell rang for dinner and the three of them ran inside, claiming the end of the table right in the middle of the buffet line. Shay found her way over to them and eventually Hunk came back too. A new bus full of kids would be showing up tomorrow and they needed Hunk to help Shiro lead the tour while Allura went into town with Alfor. Lance could hardly believe it had been almost a week since he and Pidge showed up on a bus just like the one coming up.

It appeared Keith was thinking along the same lines. As the two of them were lying in bed waiting to fall asleep that night, he rolled over on his stomach and looked sideways at Lance. “Are you going to go see the new kids?”

“Are we allowed to?”

“Well, you’re not  _ not  _ allowed to...”

Lance looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “So one of those unspoken rules then. Like, oh I don’t know, not going in the attic.”

“I never  _ told  _ you to go to the attic.”

“You practically held me at gunpoint.” Lance said. There was a pause then he spoke up again. “Do you think it’s still up there?”

“I was just wondering that.” Keith admitted. 

“Should we check?”

“I don’t know if it’s open.”

Lance shrugged. “We can grab Pidge if we need to pick the lock.”

“You’re going to expose your precious child to that again?”

“To your sex dungeon? No, just to the door.”

“Oh my God, Lance.” Keith groaned, throwing his pillow at the other boy. “It’s not mine!”

Lance laughed and threw it back as he got to his feet. “Well, there’s one way to figure out if it’s there. Bring your phone so we can find the light switch.” 

“Why aren’t you bringing  _ your  _ phone?” Keith demanded but Lance was already gone. He sighed, but rolled off his bed and followed Lance up the hall to the last door way before the one leading outside. They tried the knob, but weren’t too surprised it was locked. 

On their way backtracking to Pidge and Shay’s room, they were spotted by Hunk cutting through the hallway. “Hey guys, what’re you doing?”

“Nothing,” Keith said.

“We’re going to ask Pidge for help picking a lock.”

“Lance. What the hell.”

“What? He deserves to know too.” Lance knocked on the girl’s room door.

Shay answered, surprised to find the three of them standing there. “Can we help you guys?” 

“We need Pidge’s real life hacker skills. There’s a door that needs opening.” Lance said.

“Are you two going back to the attic?” Pidge asked, coming up to the doorway. Her hair was just barely held up in a ponytail and her glasses were up on the top of her head so Lance figured they may have just stumbled in while she’d been in the middle of a project.

“If you’re not busy, that would be great.” Keith admitted.

“I have no idea what’s going on here.” Hunk said like he was trying to wash away any blame she could place on him.

“Let us go on a late night adventure then.” Shay said to her roommate with a smile.

Pidge shrugged. “I suppose.” Within a few minutes of getting Pidge to the door, it was open. She smiled with the last click and opened the door to the ladder-stairs leading to the door in the ceiling. 

“It’s an attic.” Hunk said, looking up to the little door. “I’m guessing you had a small house, Lance.” 

“Of course it’s an attic, it’s what’s  _ in  _ the attic we want to see.” Keith said.

“You two are into some kinky stuff,” Pidge said, putting her glasses back on her nose. 

“Neither of you are never going to let that go, are you?” Keith sighed.

“Nope.” Lance pushed forward and climbed the steps, asking for Keith’s phone light to show him where the handle was. The lanky boy popped open the door and pulled himself up, but must have run into something because there was a Lance sized crash to the floor followed by muffled groans of pain.

“You idiot.” Keith sighed, following him and pulling himself up through the hole in the floor. He found the light switch and the room filled with light. Whatever Lance had tripped on, it hadn’t been the machine they’d seen last time because now the room was practically bare.

“Don’t look so upset, Keith.” Pidge said, climbing in after them. Hunk and Shay crawled in too, everyone sitting against the walls but still almost stacking their feet on top of each other. “This is the smallest attic I’ve ever seen.

“They probably made it smaller for the second story dorms.” Shay said. 

“What were we supposed to find up here?” Hunk asked.

“It was a crazy sex machine.” Pidge said bluntly.

Shay gasped a little, but Keith and Lance started laughing. “Trust me,” Lance said as he tried to catch his breath, “We were pretty shocked the first time we saw it too.”

“You brought a 15 year old to see it?” Shay asked, still looking horrified.

“What? She’s old enough to explore her interests.” Lance said. 

“Or lack thereof.” Pidge corrected.

“See? No shame here.”

“No, we didn’t bring her up here. She followed us.” Keith assured her. 

“This place is a bit weirder than I expected.” Hunk admitted. 

They agreed and Shay seemed eager to leave. The group climbed back down to the ground floor, Lance wondering if Shiro or Allura would answer any questions he had about the attic and it’s previous contents.

The next morning, he woke up to Keith rummaging through the dresser drawers on his side of the room. 

“Are you looking for your emo gloves?” He asked sleepily.

“Maybe, shut up.” 

“They’re on the floor.”

Keith spotted them and slipped them on as Lance realized he was fully dressed and ready to go even before the bell for breakfast went off. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine. The new bus is coming in today.”

“Why does that mean you have to be up at-” Lance checked his phone- “almost 7 in the morning? How did you even wake up before me?”

“I get nervous when new kids come. And each time a bus comes, things get moved around a bit.” As he finished his sentence, the bell rang that signaled breakfast was ready. “Like that. Plus, I’m helping Coran clean up the bus before he leaves.”

“You didn’t tell me everything is earlier!” Lance complained as he jumped out of bed.

Keith had a devilish smile on his face as he stood. “You never asked. You may want to hurry though, food won’t last through your normal beauty routine.” He ducked out of the room as Lance scurried to get dressed. 

Even Pidge made it to the Main Hall before Lance which made him even more annoyed. “I didn’t even get to check my hair.” He grumbled as he fell into a seat next to Shay.

“Is that why you grabbed Keith’s beanie?” Shay asked.

“What? This isn’t his, it’s mine.”

“It looks like his..”

“There’s no way this is his.” Lance insisted.

Keith sat down next to them with a tray of food then stopped to stare at him for a second. “Is that mine?”

“Oh my God, this is not your beanie!” 

“Where did you get it this morning?” Keith asked.

“I don’t know, it was on the desk chair and I grabbed it on the way out.”

“Yeah that’s mine.” 

“No way!”

“You can wear it for today, just wash it before you give it back.” Keith said, digging into his food.

Lance pulled it off but quickly put it back since Pidge started snickering. “Just how much time does it take you in the morning?” She asked. “That’s the best bedhead I’ve ever seen!”

“You’re sure you’re not dating?” Hunk asked. “Borrowing each other’s clothes is usually a couple thing, am I wrong?”

Lance put his head down on the table. “I hate you guys.”

“Not dating, I just have a really weird roommate.” Keith clarified.

“Like you have room to talk, Emo Gloves.”

“Hey!”

“In other news,” Pidge interrupted, “I’ve been staring at your shirt for a while Hunk and I realized I have no idea what S.A.G.A. stands for.”

Shay looked at the small camp logo on Hunk’s shirt then back to Pidge. “You two must have really missed a bit when you first arrived.”

“Tell me about it.” Lance agreed. “Now I’m beginning to regret being an angsty teenager a bit.”

“It’s Sexuality and Gender Acceptance. Not exactly cracking the da Vinci code.” Hunk explained, clearly amused. “It’s a pretty great alternative to the whole 14 letter LGBTQA+ acronym.”

They all agreed it was simultaneously easier to say and even more inclusive than “LGBT and whatever else” that most people shortened it to. As soon as they were done, Keith and Hunk left Lance with the girls. They headed back to the sort of computer lab area so Pidge could get more research done until the bus was supposed to show up. Shay said she would catch up with them later so they went to find Keith.

The three campers hovered around the Main Hall until they saw Coran driving the bus towards in through the entrance. “I still can’t believe they’re using that monstrosity when they’re trying to convince kids this is a safe place.” Lance said as they poked their heads around the corner of the building. 

“Well they sort of spend the rest of their time and money on things like food and bills and that whole store full of clothes, do you see where I’m going with this?” Pidge replied. Keith shushed them and they watched as a much smaller group of kids got off the busses this time. There were maybe 15 kids, but they had just as much diversity as the group that had showed up last week. 

“Hey, do you think Alfor is off at a Drag Race right now with Allura?” Pidge asked.

“Not exactly the right time, Pidge.” Keith whispered.

Hunk and Shiro introduced themselves and just like before, nearly all of the kids looked wary and afraid of being here. The two counselors lead them up the path to the dorms to be given new rooms. Shay had mentioned earlier that enough of the older campers had left already that even if no one left for a few weeks they should still have room.

“Come on, we should go see them.” Keith said, heading towards the dorms.

“Woah woah woa, cool your jets Keith!” Lance pulled him back around the corner.

“What?”

“Those kids are terrified you know.” 

“And?”

“And, we can’t just go charging in there like a psycho. It’ll freak them out!”

Pidge agreed. “Yeah, how long did it take Lance to warm up to you?” They both blushed a little as they remembered their first encounter. 

Lance waved his hand through the air like he was dispelling any further conversation. “The point is, we need to approach it more like Allura did. We can talk to Hunk and he can take them around and we’ll all just happen to be outside with words of welcome.”

Pidge sighed and looked off into the distance like she was on The Office. Subtlety was obviously neither of their strong suits. “I like the first part of that plan, but three people that they will just think are trying to mind swish them standing outside? Not so much.”

“You too with the mind swishing?” Lance asked. 

“Shay mentioned it.” 

“Can we go now?” Keith asked.

“Oh where are we going?”  The three of them jumped back to find Coran had appeared behind them. 

“Coran, don’t scare me like that!” Pidge cried. 

“Keith, if you’re--”

“That was still not my fault.” Keith intterupted, his shoulders falling.

“What is he talking about?” Pidge whispered loudly to Lance. The latter shrugged.

Keith shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’m going to find Shiro, I’ll see you guys later.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away, watching the rocks his feet kicked up.

“So what really happened?” Lance asked.

Coran hesitated. “Well... no one is quite sure of the whole story, but Keith’s first roommate was a boy--about 16 I believe at the time--who moved out about two weeks after Keith arrived. He moved back home and still visits sometimes. Not the point of the story, the point is, his second roommate went missing one night and we didn’t see him until the next morning because he’d gotten lost in the woods.”

“What?” Lance squeaked. “You gave me a crazy boy for a roommate?”

“No, he’s not crazy, just... well Shiro stood up for his side of the story so we gave the other boy a different room but he moved out just a week later. That one doesn’t visit, to say the least, he never settled in here.”

Lance looked back where Keith had been, but the other boy was gone now. “What was his side of the story?”

“That’s for Keith to tell.” Coran said, patting his shoulder. He headed down towards the dorms and left Lance and Pidge to wonder what their secretive friend wasn’t telling them and wondering if it had anything to do with why he was so interested in seeing the new kids as soon as they showed up.


	3. Valentine's Day Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro moved everyone in past the doorway where they found activities, food, and the best part of the night: a breakdancing Coran.
> 
> “I never imagined saying this, but I am so glad I came to this party.” Pidge said with their eyes the size of their lenses.

Pidge pulled Lance away and they made their way to her dorm room to look for Shay. Pidge had managed to smuggle in her laptop and Shay found some game SD cards the old occupants of their room had so they took turns playing the few that they had. 

“There’s supposed to be a party tomorrow.” Shay mentioned as she passed the laptop to Pidge. 

“It’s a fancy type of thing, isn’t it?” Pidge asked, quickly distracted. 

“I suppose so.” Shay shrugged. “It should be of fun though, a Valentine’s Day Dance.”

“Are we supposed to be dressing up for it then?” Lance asked, not bothering to lift his head off the bed. “Because I guess I forgot to bring anything nice in my distressed packing before I came here.”

Shay shrugged. “I’ve never been here for one of the dances before, but there’s going to be some kind of announcement for it today I believe.”

“You should invite Hunk.” Pidge said as a sly smile swept across her lips.

Shay blushed and started messing with the end of her camp shirt as she stammered, “I’m sure he’s already going.” 

“Oh come on Shay, everyone knows, I’m sure even he does.” Pidge assured her.

“Wait, you’ve got a crush on Hunk?” Lance asked, finally sitting up.

“Everyone with a brain, I mean.”

Lance seemed to realize everything he’d missed up to that point as his eyes grew bigger. “That’s great! You should totally ask him!”

“You believe I should?” 

“Absolutely.” Lance said, nearly bouncing in excitement. “I’ve always wanted to set up two of my friends before!”

“You’re not doing it, she is.” Pidge clarified. “You had no idea until I said something!”

“Hush Pidge, the big kids are talking.

Before Pidge could make a biting remark, the bell rang for lunch and everyone in hearing distance dropped what they were doing and ran to the Main Hall. Lunch was at about the normal capacity with a few new kids who seemed just as scared as the kids who showed up with Lance and Pidge. The three started to head over to them but saw Shiro get to them first, joined by Allura who must have just gotten back, and spotted Keith sulking by the door. They went to him instead.

“Change of plans?” Lance asked as they walked up.

“Coran didn’t tell us your side of the story.” Pidge said quickly. “We’re willing to listen if you want to tell it though.”

He glanced at her and saw she was being serious, no comeback waiting and no punchline from Lance. “Maybe but not now.”

“We’ll take it.” Lance nodded and pulled Keith over towards the food line.

Hunk said the kids this time were mostly about 15 years old, only one of them 17 but only one of them 13. The youngest camper who had ever been to camp here according to Shiro had been an 11 year old boy born a girl, but luckily he had been the only one so young. The tour had gone about as well as they had prepared him; many of them stayed behind mostly in the upper level of the dorms. They should hopefully be down by dinner, but there were no promises made. 

Coran and Alfor gathered their attention as they neared the end of their meal.

“Children!” Alfor called, spreading his arms like he was inviting them all in for a hug. “Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and we will be hosting a Valentine’s Day Dance. Please don’t feel like you need to dress up, we would just love for you all to get together for the chance to have fun here.” 

“The dance,” Coran added, “will be in here at 7 tomorrow.”

“We would like you to feel as much at home as you can while your head.” Alfor said, looking directly to the group of kids who’d somehow grabbed a nearly perfect spot near the head of the far table. “The only thing that is mandatory is that if you come, you have fun and if you choose not to, that you remain safe.”

“I think this is going to be fun.” Shay smiled.

Lance felt a pang in his heart as he realized he wouldn’t be headed out for a party with Rollo and Nyma like they’d been planning. The two would probably go without him. Maybe they were going  _ together _ . If he missed out on his friends getting together on Valentine’s Day...

“Earth to Lance!” Pidge said, waving a hand in his face. 

He blinked back to reality. “What?”

“Please make Hunk see reason.” She whined.

“I just think it would be fun!” Hunk said holding his hands up. “We could all take a trip to the mall and buy something, just a shirt or whatever.”

“We even nominated you to hold Pidge on your lap and you didn’t respond.” Keith said.

“Sorry Pidge but we are so doing that.” Lance said, his face splitting into a grin. “Well, not about you sitting on my lap, but I definitely want to go do something fun to get ready like normal. I don’t have any money though.”

“You’ve got $20.” Pidge pointed out.

“How do you know that?” He demanded.

The others all looked at her. Under their gaze, she merely waved her hand dismissively. “Not important. I’m sure you could find something hipster enough for you.”

“I did see a vest that looks exactly like Han Solo’s...”

Keith nearly choked on his food as he gasped. “You’re kidding! Where?”

“In some shop at the mall, it was just in passing, but it looked pretty awesome!” Lance insisted.

“Look, something they agree on.” Pidge said, holding her hand over her heart. 

“Everyone loves Star Wars.” Hunk agreed.

“I’ve actually never seen them.” Shay added softly. Lance’s spoon fell out of his hand, but it was the only sound that came from anyone in their group. “Are they that big of a deal?”

“Yes!” Keith insisted.

“That’s one of my favorite movie series of all time!” Lance agreed.

“You know it’s good, they’re on the same team.” Pidge said. 

Hunk stood suddenly. “We’re watching them right now. Pick a room, I’ll meet you there, I brought all of my own movies.”

Pidge volunteered their room “since it doesn’t smell like teenage boy” so Hunk ran to grab his movies as they headed back. Keith and Lance argued all the way there from which movie was best--“Lance, it’s the  _ first  _ one! Hope wins!” “Keith, it’s the  _ ending _ ! Jedi wins!”--to which planet would be the most fun to visit--“Dagobah has Yoda, hands down the best.” “Keith, your mullet would be even worse in that humidity, Endor’s forest moon is the best.” “That’s not a planet that’s a moon!”--until Pidge threatened to kick them back out. 

One thing they all agreed on was that it was worth shutting up for. As soon as Hunk put his movie in, their eyes were glued to the screen and their mouths clamped shut. With Shay and Hunk sitting on one bed and Pidge stretched out on her own, Lance and Keith were exiled to the floor but they didn’t seem to mind as they mouthed the words along with the movie. They made Shay sit through them all until the dinner bell rang and even then, Hunk and Pidge ran to sneak food for everyone while she stayed to watch. As soon as it was over, Keith and Lance were back at it, this time talking about their favorite battles and most quotable lines. 

“So what’d you think?” Hunk asked, turning to Shay. 

“That was quite the series!” She smiled. “I never knew there could be so much in just three movies; adventure, mystery, romance, plot twists!”

“Awesome technology.” Pidge added.

“Crazy planets.” Hunk listed.

“Harrison Ford.” Keith said under his breath.

“Are you crushing on a 60 year old man, Keith?” Lance teased.

Keith threw a grape at the other boy. “ _ No _ , on the younger version of him.”

“Nah, Carrie Fisher was the most attractive, she still is!” Lance said. 

The five of them spent the night talking about the movies and their plans to find the supposed vest Lance swore he’d seen before. Keith tried to point out it could have been in a store that wouldn’t be around here, but the Cuban boy refused to accept that. 

They ended up needing another car that next afternoon since Hunk’s only had four seats so they convinced Allura and Shiro to come with them since they had the camp’s minivan and they were already going into town anyways. The older two took Keith and Lance with them, joining in on the Star Wars hype along the way. None of them could believe Shiro’s favorite movie was actually The  _ Empire Strikes Back _ and Keith took it as a winning point that Allura agreed with him. 

“I have to admit,” Allura qualified as they pulled into a parking spot. “Whatever movie had the most Princess Leia in it was the best. She’s one of the most awesome female characters ever.”

Lance took that as a point in his favor in Carrie Fisher vs Harrison Ford. “Space princess for the win!” 

They all tumbled out and met up with the others inside. Pidge stole Keith and Lance away, mumbling something about splitting up and meeting back in 2 hours at the food court. They explained that they were trying to get Hunk and Shay together and the best way to do so was to put them up with another couple, section them off as a pair with a constant sense of couple-ness surrounding them. The other two had to admit they had a point. Today was one of Pidge’s genderless days--binder, large T-shirt that was probably their brother’s, and loose cargo shorts--and Lance was having a bit of trouble avoiding female pronouns so he opted for saying their name more than “she” or “her” to avoid misgendering them. They’d been hesitant to try and explain that morning that some days they just felt really sick of having a female body and that sometimes it got too much and they felt more nonbinary. The rest of the group assured them that if it came up, just to tell them and the rest of them would do their best to adjust.

Pidge couldn’t put into words what it meant to them to have the others accept without too many questions or judging looks. Lance lead the way around the mall, trying to find the store that held his precious vest, but they eventually convinced him it just wasn’t in a small Nevada mall. To recuperate, he took them inside as many other stores as he could managed, to Keith’s dismay much more than Pidge’s.

“I can’t believe you’re bringing me in here.” He groaned as they walked into an incredibly hipster style store called HXT that Keith was sure didn’t exist outside of this one mall.  “Every emo cell in my body is screaming.”

“Well at least you’re coming to terms with it.” Lance said, breezing through the racks. Pidge trailed along, Hot Topic bag slung over their shoulder. 

“How did you get all the money you brought along with you by the way?” Keith asked as he and Pidge wandered around after the other boy. “Lance only has $20 to his name, where did all that come from?”

Pidge didn’t answer for a moment and Keith thought he’d stepped over a line. Just as he was about to apologize, they turned and pulled up their sleeve showing a sewn in pocket. “I kept every dollar I’ve ever gotten from birthdays or summer work or whatever else I could. I kept it all in clothes that I would grab first if they ever found my dad. Or if I ever finally decided to run away.”

Keith looked over his small friend, even smaller in a shirt that was a size too big. “You planned on running away?” 

They nodded. “I was an outsider, that wasn’t my family, I had a family and lost it. Part of me just figured I’d never fit in there. And here we are now.”

Lance swung his arm around Pidge’s shoulders. “Don’t you ever run away from camp, if you leave we’re going to have to find you again. You’re part of our group now, Pidge.” He beamed.

Keith nodded then nearly had his arm pulled out of it’s socket as Lance pulled him away to see a Star Wars T-shirt that he had to admit was sort of kind of a little bit cool. Lance found a shirt but Keith insisted on not buying anything so unnecessary for a camp party. 

They returned to camp just after 4 in the afternoon with hours before dinner and another for the party. Hunk needed to leave with Shiro and Allura for “Counselor business” so the other four went to Pidge and Shay’s room to play video games. 

“Lance,” Keith said, clearly annoyed, “if you don’t stop bouncing your foot on the end of the bed, I’m going to freak out.”

“I’m too excited.” Lance complained, draping his arm over his face. 

“Too much of a drama queen.” Pidge corrected. “What’s the big deal with dances anyways?”

“Have you ever been to a school dance?” Lance asked, twisting around to look at them as they handed off the laptop to Shay. 

They shook their head. “I didn’t have much opportunity because they wouldn’t let me but I didn’t want to go anyways.”

“Everyone I’ve ever met that’s said that has secretly wanted to go to whatever they’re talking about.” Lance insisted. “You’re going to have tons of fun I promise. A dance at a gay camp is probably going to be even better!”

“The last time they had a dance here was for New Year’s I believe.” Shay mentioned. “It was before I got here, but my last roommate said she just loved it.” 

“By the way.” Lance said pulling himself up into a sitting position. “Coran was telling us a bit about your last roommate, Keith. Is there anything--”

“Nope.” Keith stood and found his way to the door. “I’m going to find Shiro and Allura I need to ask them about something.” He left without any more of an explanation. 

“Smooth, Lance. Well handled.” Pidge said, rolling their eyes.

Lance sighed. He’d been wondering about the roommate situation since Coran had brought it up the other day, but he clearly hadn’t handled it well. Whatever happened with this other roommate must have been enough to freak them both out, but only one of them had left. What was the camp secret? 

“Do you know anything Shay?”

She looked slightly uncomfortable at being put on the spot. “Well, not much I guess. Just that the boy left very shortly after showing up since the return bus came around just after his bus got here.”

Lance decided to let it go for the night. No sense in messing up anything more. Eventually it was time to get ready and Keith returned to get dressed, neither of them talking about it again. They wouldn’t have been talking at all if Lance hadn’t brought up The Debate ™ again. Keith refused to give him a fair point for the mere fact that the Ewoks were introduced in  _ Return of the Jedi _ . 

The Main Hall was decorated with all manner of stereotypical decorations; hearts hanging from the lights, pink and red and white streamers, balloons on the floor, it was like a giant cartoon heart threw up on the room. Pidge imagined this being pretty much spot on for what a high school could put on and wasn’t blown away, but they had to say everyone having fun made them feel just a little excited about going to their first dance. 

Lance thought it was great. The pain of not being at home for his own high school dance was significantly dulled by the effort everyone clearly put in to making them feel better. As they walked through the main doors, his face must have given away a lot more than he thought.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone get this worked up over Valentine’s Day. And I  _ did  _ go to high school, before you ask.” Keith teased.

Lance shrugged. “The last time I went to a Valentine Dance at school I actually had a Valentine--”

“You had a Valentine?” 

“Don’t sound surprised, Kogane!” Lance said indignantly. “She was beautiful, it was really fun up until the next day when she broke up with me, so you know not so fun afterwards.”

“Lance actually landed a hot date?” Pidge asked with exaggerated shock.

“ _ Yes _ , I was hot stuff at school, thank you very much.”

“Why are you looking at this place like it’s so much better then?” Keith asked, looking out at the kids that filled the hall.

“This place, it’s so different from what I thought it would be when I got here. This is a day to be with someone you love and here that doesn't just mean of the opposite gender... and I mean you guys are here, it’s just different than anything I’ve had before.” 

Keith nodded. “You overthink sometimes, don’t you?”

Lance punched him lightly in the shoulder. “At least I actually think about stuff.”

Pidge shook their head. The two of them may be older, but they were not more mature. Despite that thought, a smile crept across their face. It was good to not take life so seriously all the time. Shiro moved everyone in past the doorway where they found activities, food, and the best part of the night: a breakdancing Coran. 

“I never imagined saying this, but I am so glad I came to this party.” Pidge said with their eyes the size of their lenses. 

Lance immediately joined in the campers cheering him on. “For an old guy he can really bring it!”

The party lasted for most of the campers until midnight, but Lance and Keith weren’t as lucky. Around 10, Lance had danced his way to exhaustion and collapsed next to Keith sitting near a mostly untouched plate of food. Pidge had already turned in, but Hunk and Shay were playing some sort of game off in the far corner of the building. Keith was watching as Shiro and Allura as they talked to the group of new kids who’d decided to come, all of them looking happy with that decision now.

“You like him don’t you?” Lance asked, lowering his voice a little. 

Keith turned bright red and shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, shut up.”

“Everyone knows except maybe him. You know, cuz he’s sort of  _ with  _ someone.” Lance didn’t know why it struck a chord with him so much but he’d been noticing it more and more all night with the air of romance smothering them. Maybe it was because Shiro and Allura just looked so happy and Keith was pining in the corner, but Lance felt the need to help his roommate get over this crush.

“You don’t understand.” Keith mumbled, turning his head away.

“You don’t think I know the struggle of liking a straight guy?”

“He’s not even straight, just because you’re with someone of the opposite gender doesn’t mean you’re one or the other, shouldn’t you know that?” Keith growled back. “Besides, that’s not what’s going on. I needed him for a while, but I don’t like him, okay? Just drop it.” 

Lance shook his head. “Does it have something to do with that roommate Coran mentioned? Is there something going on I should know?”

“That’s a long story.” Keith’s voice had lost it’s anger so Lance figured just a little more pressure might make him finally open up.

“Keith, we’re friends, you can tell me. If you do have some sort of--”

“Lance, if you do not leave me alone, I swear I will beat the shit out of you.” His hands were shaking as they clenched into fists.

Lance’s brain finally caught up to his mouth. He stopped talking, an incredibly awkward silence filling the space between them as Keith’s hands slowly relaxed. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes that seemed to stretch the space between them into miles until he finally spoke again. “We  _ are  _ friends, right?” 

The other boy glanced sideways at him. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

He shrugged. “We don’t really act like friends. We’re only ever even  _ near  _ each other if there’s someone else there or if we’re in our room.”

“Well we may not exactly be very close... but we’re friends at least.” Keith qualified, turning towards him a little.

“We could be closer. If you told me about him.” 

Keith groaned. “Lance, you’re a lousy, awful--”

“It’s true. I could help you get over him, we could find you someone to go on a date with, we could-”

“I don’t want you to fix me up with someone, I want...”

“What?”

Keith got to his feet. “I want you to leave me alone.”

Lance reached out and stopped him.“Keith, I--”

The shorter boy pushed back, knocking Lance over his chair and onto the floor. “Leave. Me. Alone.” He hissed, his face red and his hands shaking. “We are not talking about this again.”

From the floor, Lance watched him storm out of the main doors. He picked himself back up as Hunk and Shay came to his side. He didn’t even have a bump or bruise, but Hunk was carrying on like Lance had broken his arm.

“What happened?” He asked.

“I kind of poked the bear. I brought up Shiro.”

Shay seemed to weigh two options in her mind. “Well...”

“I know, I know, it was a jerk move. I’m sorry.”

“You do not need to tell us that, Lance, you should tell Keith.” 

“You thought he was crushing on Shiro?” Hunk asked, clearly confused. 

“You did not?” Shay looked at him like it was as clear as the fact that Lance had stolen Keith’s beanie just the day before. 

“I’ve been saying this whole time that I thought you two were dating. Was I the only one who thought that he was the one with a crush on  _ you _ ?” 

Lance blinked. Keith? A crush? On? Him? Really? 

“I swear, Lance.” Hunk said, pulling him to his feet. 

“Should I go talk to him?” Lance wanted the answer to be no. He didn’t want to talk to the boy so clearly angry with him, he didn’t want to deal with another person’s feelings when he wasn’t even sure of his own, he didn’t  _ want  _ to. Still, he was pretty sure he had to. The look Shay and Hunk gave him seemed to convey the same conclusion. The decorations suddenly seemed to mock him, staring him down until he agreed to go see his... friend. 

“Fine, fine, I’ll go find him.” Lance shoved his hands in his pockets and mumbled out a goodbye to the others as he left. Allura tried to intercept him at the door, but he quickly breezed past her with a half thought excuse of being tired and headed out to the dorms.

Keith didn’t return to their room after the party so Lance wandered the dorms, checked for him in Pidge and Shay’s room and even upstairs but couldn’t find him. Eventually, he could take the hint that he didn’t want to be found. Keith might have to work on some anger issues, but Lance was going to have to work on some issues of his own. Could Hunk be right? Why did the thought make his stomach feel so weird? He thought having a crush on Nyma his Freshman year was complicated. 

Lance couldn’t sleep despite feeling exhausted from running around the campground in the dark. His bed was suddenly as stiff as a board, his blanket like sandpaper and the walls paper thin to the music still coming from the Main Hall. It was either that or he couldn’t stop thinking about who was currently missing from the normal situation. He missed the sound of Keith’s emo music drifting over from the other side of the room. He missed the way that even though it was silent, it wasn’t awkward or stifling in their room.

More than anything, he felt guilty. Lance hadn’t realized until he said it, but he did consider Keith his friend and he’d thrown a wrench into it. If Hunk was right, that made things even worse. Keith would never speak to him now, not after embarrassing him. Unless he talked to Shiro about him.

It dawned on him now that if Keith were anywhere, he’d probably be away with Shiro and Allura. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like it was less of a crush and more of a safe space. Shiro defended him, Allura clearly cared about him, Keith felt comfortable around those two. It was becoming more and more likely that Hunk’s theory would be true and his own crumbled to dust.

Sleep for Lance was restless and only half deep so he woke as soon as the sun rays fell in across his face. He skipped over his normal morning routine and hurried out to find Hunk to let him into the Counselor Dorm rooms. If Keith was camped out in Shiro’s room, he wasn’t sure he’d get in but if it came down to it, they might just find him pacing the halls all day. 

Hunk showed him which room was Shiro’s but didn’t want to leave him alone for fear of him doing something stupid. 

“I resent that.” Lance mumbled.

“Tell me I’m wrong.” Hunk countered.

Shiro opened the door not too long after they’d showed up. “Oh good. I was afraid I was going to have to track you down. Keith left already.”

Lance sighed. “Does he hate me?”

“Of course not. That boy doesn’t have a hateful bone in his body.” Shiro assured him. “He didn’t want to talk much though.”

So he’d have to run around again, hopefully to catch him before the bells rang for breakfast. He ran through the rest of the counselor hallway, around the Main Hall, and breezed back through the camper dorms. It wasn’t apparent at first that Keith had been through there, but they realized his phone was gone as well as a shirt and jeans from a desk chair. 

“Lance, if Keith really doesn’t want to be found, maybe we should let him hide?” Hunk suggested. “Just until he’s ready, you know.”

“Hunk, I need to fix this before it makes our whole group weird. First I mess things up with him, then everyone is picking a side, then one of us has no friends.”

Hunk hesitated. “Have you been thinking about this... all night?” 

“...No.”

“Oh Lance.”

“Hunk, don’t start with me, it’s too early for this.”

“You  _ like  _ him don’t you?”

“What, no, I-”

“That’s why you kept pushing it!”

“Hunk-”

“I knew it!”

“Hunk!” Lance fell down onto his bed and laid back. “I don’t know, okay, I’ve only been here a little bit. I can count the days on two hands that I’ve even known him.”

“That doesn’t exactly negate what I’m saying.” Hunk pointed out. “And hasn’t it been like 2 weeks?”

“Whatever. I need to talk to him, not about us or anything, but we’re friends. I may have been  _ slightly  _ over exaggerating earlier, but  I can’t let a new group that could be really great fall apart because of this.”

“Well then I may have good news for you.” Hunk pointed out the window to where he could just see Keith sitting at the dock. “He’s waiting by the lake. Kind of romantic, don’t you think?”

Lance rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless. I’m going, close the door on your way out.”

He rushed down to the lake but stopped short of the dock. Hunk was right, he  _ had  _ been thinking about it all night but nothing had panned out very well. Every fake conversation he’d thought up ended up with him getting yelled at or tossed into the freezing lake, neither of which sounded very fun.

“Keith?” Apparently he was just going to wing it. “Buddy?” There was no response. Keith tensed, but didn’t bother to turn around. Lance wasn’t sure what else to do so he walked up and stood next to him at the edge. “I will do almost anything, okay, but you need to talk to me. I would jump into this lake if I have to.”

Keith glanced up, his eyebrow raised, but his jaw set like he wasn’t planning on talking yet.

“Don’t believe me?” Lance stripped out of his jacket, shoes, and t-shirt. It was going to be freezing, just standing on the dock with only his jeans on was bad enough. If it was going to be the only way to fix things though, he was going to have to go for it, head first.

The shock was like breaking through glass. The cold immediately stuck to his bones like it was sucking every bit of warmth from his body. Lance felt like his body was moving in slow motion, but eventually he moved upwards. Swimming was hard, but he broke through the surface. He’d only just taken in a breath as Keith lugged him up onto the dock, shouting a number of angry words in long chains that Lance could hardly distinguish over the blood pulsing in his ears. 

“I told you.” He said with chattering teeth. Oh right, he was cold.

“What?” Keith demanded, his shoulders rising and falling as he caught his breath from screaming at his friend. 

“Look it worked.” Lance shivered as Keith put his discarded jacket back around his shoulders.

“Look at you! Your lips are turning blue, you can’t stop shaking! You’re such an idiot.”

“But I got you to talk to me.” 

Keith shook his head. “You’re impossible.”

“You’re kinda cute when you’re worried about me.”

“And now you’re delirious. Awesome, we’re getting you inside.” Keith pulled Lance to his feet and dragged him back to the dorms. If he was really delirious, maybe that blush on Keith’s face wasn’t really there but a part of him wanted at least that to be true.

After a quick, extremely hot shower, Lance was wrapped in more blankets than he realized were even in their room. Hunk only left to get him breakfast and to find Pidge and Shay. That left Keith and Lance, both looking anywhere but at each other. 

“Tell me about your last roommate.” Lance said, pulling at a thread on the edge of one blanket.

“Why?”

“Because, Keith, if we’re really friends when I ask about who used to sleep in this bed then you should just tell me!”

Keith groaned and got to his feet. “Fine, but you better not interrupt me and you can’t tell the others.” Lance made a zipping motion over his mouth. “Okay. So the guy showed up just a few days after me. We’re going to call him L. He was extremely homophobic, but also really gay. He got in trouble at his school so they told his parents and sent him here. He showed up in my room and didn’t say much, one of my  _ less  _ talkative roommates.” Lance opened his mouth to retort but clamped it shut again, not wanting Keith to stop or else he may never get him talking again. Keith was pacing back and forth through their beds to avoid looking at him, wringing his hands or messing with his gloves and Lance didn’t want to do anything to throw him off.

“I left for dinner and he came out eventually but kept to himself other than staring at me the whole time. I figured he wanted to talk or something but was too awkward or scared which was weird because he was a pretty big guy. Anyways, L eventually came back and I was just changing for the night and, I don’t know I mean I didn’t do anything, I didn’t say anything other than hi and just try to be nice all day but...” He fell down onto his bed, at a loss for words or at a loss for a filter as they flew around inside his brain.

Lance untangled himself from his blankets and sat on the end of his bed, their knees almost touching. “I won’t laugh, I won’t make a joke about it, I promise.” He said softly. “If you don’t want to tell me--”

“He kissed me.” Keith said, his voice small but rock hard like his emotions were still warring over what he should feel. “He sort of grabbed my arms and all I could do was kick him away so I did and he got mad at me or himself for being gay and he started hitting me so I hit him back, just once I got him in the eye. L ran out after that and no one found him until the next morning.” 

Neither of them spoke for a moment. Lance had never really believed you could hear a pin drop during silence like this, but this made him see where the phrase had come from. He wasn’t sure whether or not to touch him, so he settled for grabbing on of Keith’s hands. “Thank you for telling me.” He said. “And sorry for saying you were crazy.”

Keith smiled a little and looked down at their hands, Lance’s so much warmer than his. “Thanks for not laughing at me.”

“I only laugh when things are funny. And trust me, I know funny, I’m hilarious.” Keith shook his head but Lance saw the smile on his face. “Do you scope out the new kids because of that?”

“I had a weird feeling about L. If I’d said something it wouldn’t have happened, the place could have gotten shut down because I punched a kid in the eye.”

“He deserved it.”

“Well sure.”

Hunk burst through the door and the two boys jumped, breaking their hands apart just as he looked at them. “Did I miss anything?”


	4. Shay's Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Would you be mad if I pushed you in?”
> 
> “Way to ruin a moment, Pidge.”
> 
> (For anyone who hasn't read anything I've ever written before, summaries are more like a few lines from the chapter)

By the next week, Pidge was ready to lose her mind. Before the little fight between Lance and Keith, Hunk had been working up the courage to ask Shay out for a date. Pidge had been bugging Shay to own up and do it herself, but both of them had backed down. On the other side of the group, Keith and Lance were slowly creeping into the flirting stage of their relationship and it had taken over a week to get there. She was ready to lock one pair in a closet and the other in the attic just to make them talk it out.

The first morning of March, Lance rolled onto his side and saw a notification light on his phone. Once or twice a month, a bus was scheduled to take the “fixed” kids back home and they were probably asking if he was pure enough to come home in a few days. Keith blinked awake slowly and turned his head to see the other boy flip the phone over. 

“You’re not going home I take it.”

“I’d tell you if I was.” Lance said sleepily. “You’re not leaving either.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever go back there. I doubt he’d make me.”

“Your dad?”

Keith just nodded. He talked about his family the least out of their group, maybe out of any of the campers. All the rest of them knew was that he’d lived with his father since something had happened with his mother. 

“We should do something.” Lance decided.

“Like what?” Keith looked at him slightly warily.

“I don’t know, something fun.”

“We ooze fun, Lance, look at us.”

Lance pulled himself up and looked over at him. “I’m serious. We don’t really have families in the traditional sense-”

“Except for Hunk.”

“ _ -so _ we’ve got to stick together. We’re friends, we should make up our own traditions, you know like road trips during the summer in the movies. I mean, it’s Shay’s birthday tomorrow, we--”

“It’s her birthday tomorrow?” Keith said, finally sitting up with his hair a mess. “You’re sure?”

“Dude. Really? Hunk and Pidge told us a few days ago.”

“Aww man, I feel awful now.” 

“Don’t, we’re going to make it great. We just need to figure out something fun to do.”

“Lance, she’s turning 18. They can’t keep her here anymore. She’s going to have to get on that bus in a few days.” 

Keith’s statement hung over them like a raincloud. Shay moving? He couldn’t imagine her not being here. Or having to hear all about it from Hunk afterwards. “Shay can’t leave! Someone new would have to bunk with Pidge, someone new is going to have to join our team, Hunk hasn’t even asked her out yet!”

“And, you know, she can’t really go anywhere.”

“That too!”

“Even if she goes through to the community college like I know she wasn't talking about doing they don’t start classes yet and won’t have the dorms open.”

“Summer classes?”

“With what money? We’re all broke here.”

Lance’s shoulders fell in defeat. There had to be something they could do to keep their tiny family together. Shiro and Allura weren’t leaving any time soon, Hunk had just gotten here, Keith was under no pressure to go home and he and Pidge could hold out until the next month maybe even one after, but just losing one of them would be a big blow to the team. Then, an idea dawned on him.

“We need to talk to Shiro or Allura. Or both.” He got out of bed and started changing as he made his way to the bathroom to start his daily routine.

“What are you talking about?” 

“I’ve got an idea!”

“Why does that worry me?” Keith mumbled, getting to his feet to change much more sluggishly.

“I always have great ideas.”

“I don’t think I actually need to vocalize how wrong you are right now, I’ sure you already know.”

The bell rang and Lance groaned, only half way through with washing his face. “Save me a seat!” He yelled.

Keith smirked. “No promises!”

Lance waited until after breakfast to talk to the others. He didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, but while they ate he could see Shay was trying to to think about leaving on the bus in a few days. It was the elephant in the room and no one wanted to be the first to bring it up.

While the others went out to start their day, Lance had to track down someone with more than a camper’s authority to talk to. The first person he found was Alfor, but he was talking to a group of campers so he figured he’d try for the second. That ended up being Shiro who was all the way across the lake and headed up one of the trails so that was out. As it appeared, the third time was the charm. Allura nearly walked right into him as he rounded a corner.

“Lance, hello.”

“Hey there pretty lady.” He winked and she rolled her eyes. “I was wondering if there was something we could talk about.”

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”

“Is everyone else alright?”

“Nothing is wrong, I promise. Well, we’ve got a bit of an issue. It’s Shay’s birthday tomorrow.”

Allura nodded. “She’s turning 18. We know.” Lance gave her a puzzled look so she continued. “When your family sign you up to come here, we need to know your ages and if there’s any possibility you’ll be violent.”

“That didn’t work out well for Keith’s last roommate.” Lance muttered as they started walking.

“He told you did he? Yes, Liam got past it. We looked back and as it turns out, he’d gotten into fights before that the other party never reported. It’s a much more in depth process now. The point, however, is I already know she’s turning 18.”

“The bus is coming and I know she isn’t going to be happy getting back on it.”

“Lance, do you know how many people this camp had looked after?” She stopped by the edge of the lake, her breath barely visible in the early morning sun. 

“Hundreds, I’m guessing.”

“Almost 6 hundred kids have gotten off a bus to come here.” Allura was looking at the lake sadly, like she could see all those kids out in front of her right now. Like they were still here. “We’ve lost four of them.” 

Lance looked at her in surprise. Her voice was thick and cracked at the end of her sentence. “What do you mean?”

She wiped a tear from her cheek and looked sideways at him. “Lizzy, Allen, Carter and Diana. They went home and when we looked into why they stopped talking to us... No one wants to send Shay away. I don’t want to send any of these kids away. But Lance we’re running out of time. People are staring to notice that we’re not “fixing” anyone, we’re not who we say we are. Sooner or later, people are going to know that and we are going to be in a world of trouble. We already don’t get enough money to keep this going for more than the end of the summer.”

He never realized how much effort would have to go into making a place like Camp S.A.G.A. work. “I have an idea.” Lance said, moving in front of her. “If Shay were to get a job and pay for rent, she wouldn’t have to leave, right?”

They stood there for a moment while Allura pondered his idea. “She could say in the Counselor dorms. They’re smaller.”

“Keith and I were looking for jobs anyways, if we start paying a rent--”

“You’re not 18 yet. We can’t rent out a room to you without you being emancipated. Legal reasons.”

“Aren’t you already breaking a lot of rules?”

“Would you like to be on the next bus then?”

“Fine, fine, after that then. You said less and less kids are showing up, right? We can figure something out, can’t we?”

“Shay can get a job in just a few days?” Allura asked.

“I can put down a deposit.” Lance and Allura jumped to find Pidge had come up behind them. “That’s a really great plan, Lance.”

“Pidge, what the hell!”

“How much for a first two weeks? You know, until a first paycheck comes in.”

Allura smiled. “I’ll talk to my father about that. You two are pretty amazing friends, you should make sure she knows that.”

As Allura walked away, Pidge joined Lance in looking down on the lake. “Would you be mad if I pushed you in?”

“Way to ruin a moment, Pidge.” Lance complained, kicking a rock into the lake before turning around and heading back to the dorms.

At lunch, Allura got back to them. The smile she wore as she nodded across the room told them everything. The two of them waited until they’d all sat down with their food to tell Shay about Lance’s idea. The day just seemed to be getting better and better from there as she revealed just earlier that day she’d gotten a call to go into town for an interview.

“Well happy early birthday, Shay.” Hunk said with a smile. “You don’t have to leave.”

She smiled at their little group, clearly relieved. “For that alone I can say this is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

As dinner came to a close, Shiro and Allura made their way over to hammer out the details of the plan. Pidge, Lance and Keith were going to start looking for their own jobs first thing the next morning, but they were also planning on doing something fun for Shay’s birthday, the only thing was none of them really had a good idea.

“Why don’t you take them to the camp a few miles up the road?” Shiro suggested to Hunk.

“There’s a summer camp near by?” Lance was getting tired of not knowing much about where he was. If he’d known about a camp they could just stop by into this could have been much more interesting.

Allura nodded. “Up the mountain about an hour and a half. Last I heard they still had snow up there at the top.”

Shay’s eyes seemed to sparkle. “I’ve never been to the snow before!”

“That’s it, we’re going!” Lance insisted.

“I thought you liked the beach more than the mountains.” Keith said. Lance had mentioned loving the California beaches and living on the coast multiple times before. 

“Sure I like it more, but that’s why California is awesome, within hours you can go from snow to sand!”

“Okay, sounds like two in favor, what about you, Pidge?”

“Snow is one of the few things I actually like about being outside.” She said. “No allergies or sunburn that way.”

“I’m down too, I bet I could beat you at anything in the snow.” Keith taunted Lance.

Allura waved her hands. “Hey, before you two start on all that, the camp will only let you guys in if we can do a trade, one bus of our kids and a bus of yours. I’ll get them on the phone now if you guys can fill the bus for me. Deal?” 

“I bet I can convince more kids than you!” Lance said, jumping up from his seat and nearly knocking it over.

He and Keith scrambled to opposite ends of the Main Hall before Pidge could point out they could just as Coran to make an announcement. Hunk just shook his head. “How long should we wait to just go ahead and do that?”

“Go for it whenever you want, If you’re driving the bus Allura or I will go with you to chaperone so that means you need at least 15 kids.” Shiro said.

“Thank you, Shiro, and thank Allura too.” Shay said with a grateful smile. No matter who it was, Shay’s smile could make them smile back. It was always to grateful and happy, Hunk almost asked if she smiled like that back at home too. He couldn’t imagine someone thinking anything about her needed to be fixed. 

He only waited a few moments before making the announcement. Watching Lance and Keith make their way back to their seats, avoiding Pidge’s eyes as she obviously teased them nearly made him start laughing. A bunch of the campers were excited about the idea so as long as the other camp gave them permission, they’d be all set to go.

“Great news!” Allura said in a light voice as she came up just as Hunk sat back down.

“This day has been full of that.” Lance smiled. 

“They’re going to trade a bus for a bus from 11 to 3 tomorrow.”

“Thank you all so much.” Shay said with tears in her eyes. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever had and it has yet to even happen!”

“No problem, Shay, we’re friends and that’s what friends are for.” Pidge said with a smile. 

 

 

Shiro nearly tripped over a half exposed rock over as a snowball smacked him in the back. 

“Oh, sorry Shiro, I meant to hit Keith.” Lance said through a laugh.

Keith smirked and scooped up his own snowball.

“No, Keith, put it down!” He chased Lance up the little hill, catching the side of his head as the ball burst open in a shower of snow that slid down his neck and back. 

“That’s how you make a snowball.” Pidge said, giving Keith the high five he stuck his hand out for. 

“Don’t pack it so tight and it will explode like that.” 

Lance’s aim was much better the second time around. The next projectile struck its target, right on Keith’s chest and it exploded just like he promised. 

“You guys, we’re actually trying to get somewhere.” Shiro said with a sigh.

Pidge packed her own snowball and tossed it at him. “You can be Camp Dad later, for now join the anarchy!” She turned and threw another at Hunk and Shay, effectively starting a war with only two shots.

“Snowball fight!” Hunk shouted, scooping up an armful of snow and tossing it in Shay’s direction. 

The campers from S.A.G.A. even managed to get the other campers involved, completely halting their trek up to the ski and snowboard hills. Shiro looked to Allura for safety only to get a snowball in the back. Pidge didn’t hold back and took no prisoners. She hit everyone in sight at least twice, mostly by making it look like the attack came from someone else. She turned friends on each other and reveled in the chaos. At one point, Lance hid behind a tree for safety only to have Keith smack into him as he ran around it, knocking them both into the snow. Before either of them had a chance to realize how close their faces were to each other amid their laughs, Pidge came up with Allura and Shiro. The three of them rained snow upon the two boys until they admitted their defeat.

Since most of the fight seemed centered around their group, Shiro turned over those who still wanted to head up to Hunk, Shay and the other camp leader to help teach them. They took everyone who was now too cold to the Common Area where they promised a big fire and hot chocolate.

“This place is awesome.” Lance said through chattering teeth. 

“Is this some kind of withdrawal from the heat that’s going on here?” Keith asked as they settled on the floor with a few of the other S.A.G.A. kids. 

“It’s your fault! You kept getting it down my shirt! I’m soaked!”

“And whinny.” Keith said with an eyeroll. “Take of your clothes.”

Lance’s eyes grew a little wider and he blushed a little, but didn’t want to let Keith throw him off so easily. “Why, planning to warm me up?” He started stripping the wet jackets off of himself, not letting himself be the first to break eye contact and admit defeat.

Pidge wanted to scream at them to just make out already, though she supposed it would only make her role as the third wheel even more awkward. “You two, I swear.”

“I mean your excessive  _ three  _ jackets, if they’re wet you’re just going to stay cold.” He was blushing now too, though neither one was ready to back down. If the ‘no homo seat’ were to have a physical form, it would be these two at this very moment.

“I need hot chocolate, I won’t survive this without it.” Pidge muttered, not able to escape fast enough. She returned with three mugs, glad they’d settled into a less sexual tension filled silence. “Who wants to start a bet?” 

Keith took the cup she offered to him with one eyebrow raised. “What?”

“A bet. On when Hunk and Shay are going to get together.”

“I feel like betting against you is dangerous.” Lance said with slurp of his drink.

“It’s been known to be. I got my cousin to shave his head over the superbowl once. My aunt had a fit, it’s one of my very dear memories.”

“So what is your guess?” 

“I’m saying $10 on the end of the day.”

“Really? Why? They’ve been doing their little dance around since they met!” Lance pointed out.

“That’s exactly why. It’s been long enough, this has to sputter out and just happen and I’m guessing it will be today.” Pidge nodded confidently with a small whipped cream mustache.

“I give it a week.” Keith disagreed.

“I’m not even joining in on this, you’re crazy.” Lance shook his head. 

Before long, the others returned, seeking the fire Lance had to reluctantly give up. They recounted their many tales of snow trouble, falling on their faces, falling on their butts, running into trees, running into each other, Lance couldn’t imagine there had really been that many accidents, but Shay had a small scratch across her cheek to prove the tree portion true. She and Hunk shared a blanket across their shoulders, tucked together near the fireplace. 

“I’m staring to think Pidge may be right.” Lance muttered.

Keith sighed. “Yeah me too.”

“It’s your fault for joining in.” Pidge said with a self satisfied smile. 

Once everyone had dried out, they piled back onto the bus and headed home. They were all exhausted from their adventure, but the other campers still carried on as normal. They made it in time for dinner, but May nearly fell asleep in her bowl of pasta. The 25 campers who’d gone up the mountain retreated to bed. Lance fell asleep earlier than he had since arriving at camp with Keith following just behind. 


	5. Root Beer Floats and Watching the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Your small friend over there sent it over and asked me to tell you two to ‘have fun on your date’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgy7vEje5-w&index=4&list=PLe6yqcYQ_xv5vveXp5WxfRAJXEV5F_Ljg 
> 
> I'm going to start putting some songs that inspired this fic in the notes here so you guys can get a bit of an idea where I'm coming from.

The next morning, Pidge happily collected $10 from Keith as she announced Shay had told her everything. Hunk had finally decided to ask when Shay beat him to it. While the others had gone off to bed, the two of them went out to dinner together. Keith was happy for them, but less happy about being $10 poorer. 

Lance arrived last, but demanded every detail from Shay and Hunk personally. Even Keith was interested in hearing the story firsthand, though his eyes didn’t quite sparkle like the other boy’s. After Shay finally asked him, Hunk suggested dinner for the two of them to go get dinner. Lance and Keith had almost immediately passed out and Pidge had disappeared into the den that had become the room she now had to herself, so they didn’t need to worry about too many questions. They were mildly offended by that, but she had a fair point. 

As they finished, Pidge urged Lance and Keith to the computer lab to continue the job search. Shay still had a few hours to wait for her interview in town so she went with Hunk to join in on other camper activities. 

“I wouldn’t even hire me.” Lance complained, sliding down in his chair.

“It’s been 5 minutes, Lance.” Keith said with a shake of his head.

“And I’m already done! Nothing I’ve done has been a real job.”

“Did you get paid for it?” Pidge asked.

“Well yeah--”

“Then it’s a job. Where as me listening to your whining is just a  _ hassle _ .” 

Lance glared at the back of her head as Keith tried to hold back a laugh. Once they all had a job, they could start making plans to stay but for now, it was just getting past the next pickup point that mattered. 

Just before the lunch bell rang, Pidge suggested they take a break and Lance was almost out the door before she finished her sentence. They went to wish Shay good luck as she and Hunk headed out, then made a beeline to the Main Hall. They tried to drag it out for as long as they could, but there was only so long you could chew a grilled cheese without it being ridiculous. The three of them decided the scenic route was the best option from there. 

A few of the campers were messing around on the dock and they were close enough to see one of them essentially voted off. Max tumbled into the water to a chorus of laughs from the kids still dry. They helped him out and Lance heard the string of angry Spanish phrases that nearly made him snort.

“What did he say?” Pidge asked.

“It’s funnier in Spanish.” Lance replied, a smile stuck to his face.

They kept walking, coming to a stop around one of the smaller sheds that had the doors open and some campers helping Coran and Alfor moving things out onto the lawn.

“Need help?” Keith asked.

“What are you doing?” Pidge hissed.

“Making up a reason to stay out here and not do work.”

“By doing other work?”

“I’m sorry, is Pidge out of her element in the fresh air?”

“Shut up.”

Alfor waved them over and they were effectively roped in to going through all the tools in the shed and determining what should be tossed and what could stay. Coran revealed the group of campers that had originally been there had asked for a place they could start teaching the other kids how to dance since it was staring to get warmer and the sheds had a lot of natural lighting. That got Lance extremely excited, one of his cousins taught him how to dance when she was in junior high and he’d taken to it pretty well. It had been a while, but it sounded fun.

“Pidge, what’s with the thinky face?” Lance asked, poking her cheek and breaking her intense stare in Keith’s direction.

She slapped his hand away. “Obviously I’m thinking Lance, I’m sure that’s a foreign concept to you.”

“About what? Keith?” He teased. 

“Now that would be less foreign to you wouldn’t it?” She shot back.

That shut him up. He was immediately very interested in helping anyone near him as long it meant Pidge would stop. Apparently being Aro Ace didn’t mean Pidge was immune to sensing what went on around her. She could see it and remain unaffected, it was like she had a superpower.

The other campers, a girl named Aubrie and her friends Eve and Dakota, thanked them for the help and offered to show them a few things before a “class” for the camp was set up. Pidge protested firmly at first, but Lance suckered her and even Keith into at least pretending to act like they were trying. Surprisingly enough, Pidge was just as terrible as she claimed. She stepped on Dakota’s shoelace and almost tripped them, nearly knocked Keith over, and managed to mix up left and right at least 3 times. In minutes, she was sitting back down next to Alfor and Coran in the shade. 

“And you’re not up there teaching these hoodlums how to breakdance because..?”

Coran smiled. “I didn’t feel like taking their spotlight.” He said, humbly.

“Very generous of you.” Alfor agreed with a small laugh. He suddenly struck Pidge a regal, royal version of Santa Claus right down to the deep, warm laugh. It made her smile. 

Eventually, there was nothing more the three of them could pretend to do. They made their way back to work, slumping into their seats and grudgingly getting back to crafting a resume. The boys nitpicked each other’s, Pidge slid in headphones to drown them out, and it felt like days before Hunk came and found them. He helped fix a few things and they both sent it in for the first two jobs they found in town. 

“That’s enough work today, I’m hungry.” Lance said, leaning back on the hind legs of his chair.

“You know if you get a job that’s going to involve much more work than this.” Pidge said.

“That’s a problem for future Lance.” 

“You applied for the same job as me, if it’s down to one of us gets it, I’m going to take you down.” Keith promised.

“Pft. Like you could even if you tried.”

Keith nudged one of the only two chair legs supporting Lance, nearly knocking him over and making him latch on to Keith’s knee. Pidge was struck with an idea of how to solve Lance’s hunger and her own descent into madness. 

“We should go out for dinner. The five of us.” She announced.

“That sounds fun.” Hunk said.

“I’m down.” Keith agreed.

“If you’re paying.” Lance sighed. “I’ve got like $5 to my name.”

“We’ll worry about it when we get there. Let’s go find Shay.” 

She was just as excited as they were and agreed immediately. Pidge called in to an Applebee's they had seen before and made a reservation while they changed out of camp shirts. They met back up and Hunk’s car and Pidge told them she made the reservation for “Han Solo because who doesn’t have a sense of humor?”

When they pulled up, most of the spots were taken. Pidge suggested Keith and Lance who were the two legally strapped in to the seats on either side of her go in and grab their seat while they found a parking spot so they of course jumped out and raced up to the door. 

“So are we really going to find a spot here?” Hunk asked, raising his eyebrow at her in the rear view mirror.

Pidge smiled. “You knew.”

“Duh.”

“Yeah, I want to watch from a distance. Our reservation is under Harrison Ford.”

Keith won up to the door since he’d been on the closer side so Lance refused to acknowledge it as a real win. They had the decency to walk in like normal human beings and waited behind a couple to ask for their reservation. 

“Han Solo I think?” Lance said as their turn came. “Our friend called it in.”

“I have you down for a booth by the window.” The hostess smiled and lead them over to the other corner of the room.

Lance noted that there were only four seats but didn’t want to say anything in case she was planning to push one of the smaller tables into it. They sat across from each other and looked over the menu.

“How long does it take to find a parking spot?” Lance asked, glancing towards the door. 

He didn’t realize the server headed towards him with two root beer floats was headed for them until he set the drinks down on the table.

“Umm...” Keith looked between his drink to Lance like he couldn’t tell what was wrong about the situation.

“We didn’t order this.” Lance covered.

“Your small friend over there sent it over and asked me to tell you two to ‘have fun on your date’.” The server said. He gestured across the restaurant to where Pidge held up a peace sign from a seat across from Shay and Hunk.

Both boys flushed as bright as Keith’s jacket as they thanked him and stared intently into their new drinks. Pidge worried for a moment that her plan may backfire and drive them apart but Hunk made her sit and watch.

“It took us a bit to get to it on our own they’ve got help. It won’t be instantaneous, but it may still work.” Shay assured her.

Sure enough, she was right. After the initial shock, both boys realized this didn’t have to be the end of the world. They broke the silence with Lance mentioning a burger that looked good and Keith picking out another. Their server returned and said his name was Ray and they could tell he was looking between them to look for sparks flying like this was some kind of blind date. IT was better than him looking at the in disgust, so they were happy about it. 

Once they ordered, Lance leaned back against the booth. “Do you think they hate us for being the couple who reserved a booth rather than a two person table.”

Keith nodded and took another sip of his root beer. “Probably, yeah. But we can blame Pidge for that.”

“She better be paying for this.” He muttered.

“Yeah, you’re an expensive date.” 

Lance shrugged. “It’s been said before.”

The silence fell on them again, but it was less stifling this time. They could either go through a meal pretending that this wasn’t a date or that they didn’t want it to be a date or that it was a date but no matter what they did, it was going to make their relationship different once it was over. Pidge had given them a chance to figure out if their chance meeting could lead to something amazing between them.

“What’s your favorite color?” Lance asked, leaning forward onto the table.

“What?”

“Your favorite color. What is it?” 

“Why?”

“Keith, this is a date, will you at least pretend to play along?” He blushed, but Lance wasn’t going to back down. Being a part of the LGBTQA+ community meant they would face challenges in their life but if those challenges had given him amazing friends and possibly a boyfriend, there would be nothing that could make him wish for anything else. 

Keith thought for a moment. “Red.” 

“I should have known.” Lance gestured to his jacket. “You practically sleep in that thing.”

“Okay, enough picking on me, it’s my turn. What is your favorite animal.”

“Ewok, obviously.”

Keith cracked a smile. “I mean a  _ real  _ animal, you dork.”

Lance stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Fine, probably a dolphin then.”

They traded more questions, finding out Lance’s favorite subject in school was History, Keith has been in five different school in his life, Lance had one older sister, one younger, two older brothers and five cousins younger than him while Keith was an only child with just two younger cousins. Keith even had a motorcycle which made him even hotter in Lance’s eyes, not that he mentioned that out loud. By the time their food came out, they’d exhausted most first date questions. They could pause to eat, but they both knew they were coming up on another awkward silence. Before that could happen, they both tried to figure out something to say, something to do to keep the date going the right way. 

From across the room, Pidge could hardly stop staring at them despite Hunk and Shay trying to distract her. She wasn’t even deterred as Hunk moved the ranch sauce she’d been avoiding in the way of her hand as it reached down to grab a chicken strip. 

“Pidge, you’re going to jinx it that way.” He said exasperatedly.

“They’ve hit a wall. They stopped talking.”

“Maybe they could start up a new conversation about how much you’re staring.”

“Like you’re not going to grill the both of them later on about how it went.” She said, finally looking away to wipe off her hand once they started talking again.

“That’s definitely going to happen, but it will be  _ after _ , not  _ during _ .”

Shay shook her head a little. “I am glad our first date had no such audiences.”

Hunk agreed, though that’s why he was planning to ask Lance and Keith about it tomorrow separately. It was pay back and satiation for his own curiosity. 

“Is she done staring?” Keith asked.

Lance nodded. “Just for a second, she could look up again.”

“I feel like I’m in the zoo.”

Lance crumpled up the wrapper from his straw and tossed it across the table, bouncing it off the other boy’s forehead. “There you go, now spectators are throwing stuff at you.”

Keith flicked it back from where it fell on the table. “This is going to be a bit of an odd drive home.” He pointed out.

“It would be less awkward if we could go on a real date, not some awkward blind one.” Lance agreed.

“Let’s go then.” Keith decided.

“What?”

“We can tell Ray to give them a message like Pidge did to us and we can just ditch. We’ll get a cab ride back, and don’t worry, I’ve got at least enough for that.”

Lance smiled and nodded. “Okay, you’re on.”

They flagged down their server and asked him to send the bill to their friend’s table with the message that they were going on a bit of a different first date and they’d meet them back at camp. Once Pidge had looked away, she’d disappeared--probably to the bathroom--and since Hunk and Shay had their backs to the door, the two boys made their escape. They thanked the hostess at the door then walked out into the cold night, not suite sure where they were going but glad to be out from under their friends’ gaze.

Lance took a deep breath and stretched his arms up as they walked along the street. “So you’ve been here longer than me, where are we going?”

“I was here like a week before you, I don’t have much more experience with this place than you do.” Keith pointed out. They reached a corner and he hit the crossing button to turn left where he distantly remembered there being a park of some kind.

“Where are you from anyways? I can’t believe I don’t know that yet.” 

“Well this is a first date, most people don’t know the other person’s entire life story before hand. I just happen to have an extremely talkative roommate.”

Lance elbowed him for the tease. “Really though, I know you said you’ve moved a lot and I know you don’t get along with your dad much, but where is home for you?”

Keith thought about that for a bit. Home for most people was their house, their family, the place they grew up in. “It’s not home, but right now my dad lives in Sunnyvale in California. I was born in Phoenix Arizona though. My mom lived down there and my dad was going to school.”

He had a habit of asking about too much or messing things up with Keith already, but Lance had to know. “What happened to your mom?” He asked lightly. 

“She died. I was really young so I don’t remember her much but it was some kind of car accident. She was in the turning lane to turn left across just one lane of traffic and a car behind her ended up clipping the back of her car. Her wheels were turned so the other car pushed her into the turn right in front of a semi truck.”

“That’s awful Keith, I am so sorry.” 

“Like I said, I was young. I don’t remember it or her.”

Lance didn’t say anything else. Instead, he glance down to Keith’s hand. The one closer to him was out while the other was stuffed into his pocket. It may not have been the “sign” he was hoping it was, but Lance was always one to take a chance. He reached down and laced his fingers in with the other boy’s noticing how cold they were.

“Your hands are freezing!” 

Keith laughed a little and hoped the street lights didn’t display his blush as much as he could feel it. “Yeah, my hands and feet are pretty much always frozen.”

“Well you’re lucky mine aren’t.” Lance said, proud of their thermodynamic equilibrium. The two boys had found their way to a small park, just a few slides and monkey bars and a swing set that was barren in the night. 

“I’ll race you to the swing set.” Lance said offhandedly. 

Without even responding, Keith let go of his hand and sprinted forward. Lance followed just a second behind him, but his legs were faster so Keith’s head start did little to help him. Their hands slapped the metal poles at nearly the same time, but both of them claimed to have won. They realized how sappy and cliche spending the rest of their date in the park would be, but there playful aura of a park made for a less stressful environment. 

Normally, Keith might be worried about someone seeing them running around together in the dark like a pair of hoodlums or fear getting yelled at like they might during the day, but Lance held no reservation. It was refreshing to be around someone who didn’t see him as a normal person until his sexual orientation was revealed like with most people. Once anyone found out Keith was gay, it was like all the other parts of him disappeared. The fact that he was really good at English, that he had a good GPA, that he loved his motorcycle, that he was terrified of public speaking, that he adored his baby cousin, or that he actually liked romantic comedies, almost every piece of him disappeared under a giant rainbow sticker. He didn’t hate himself for being gay, he’d never thought that part of him was wrong, but it was no more important than any of those other pieces. And it seemed like Lance was just as interested in those other pieces of him as anything else. 

Lance could feel the hesitation in the beginning of the night, surrounded by other people, but now that it was just the two of them, Keith seemed more at ease and they were both happier for it. When they’d finished running around the park like little kids, Lance fell down in the grass, staring up at the stars. Keith sat down next to him, leaning back on his hands. 

“I’ve always loved the stars.” Lance said dreamily. 

“Yeah? What’s your favorite constellation?” Keith asked.

“Well Orion and the Big Dipper are the two I always look for first, but my favorite... might be the Hydra. Or Perseus.”

“Why those two?” Keith watch the other boy’s face as he smiled, the stars still held captive in his dark blue eyes.

“Well the Hydra was a test for Hercules and was this giant serpent thing that Hera created just to kill him. Hercules would cut off it’s head and two more would grow back. It was supposed to be this impossible, unbeatable challenge but since he dipped his sword in the poison the hydra creates to burn the ends of the cut he made and made it impossible to grow back, he beat it. Then Perseus was one of the only heroes who had a happy ending, he saved his wife, his mother, his hometown, he defeated Medusa, he was the coolest Greek hero ever.”

Keith knew he was staring, but he couldn’t help himself. Lance was really cute as he stared at the sky that held stories he’d read a hundred times and could recite at will. “You really do like History don’t you?”

“History is a giant story. If you need inspiration, advice, a plan, it’s all there.” Lance said simply, like it should be everyone’s favorite subject. 

It felt like time had passed so slowly for them, like a bubble had been placed around the park that kept them untouched by the outside world. By the time Lance felt his phone buzz in his pocket and Keith’s at the same time, it was nearly 10.

“Allura’s calling me.” Keith said, his voice falling. They were going to be in so much trouble for missing curfew.

“Shiro’s calling me too.” Lance’s voice mirrored his.

“We’re dead.” They said in unison before answering their phones.

Allura screamed about how worried they were while Shiro demanded to know where they were. Keith held his phone a few inches from his face, still able to hear her perfectly while Lance told Shiro what streets the park was on. The camp minivan pulled up and they climbed in, more scared of the fact that both of them were silent rather than screaming at them. The silence was deafening. After just a few minutes, Lance couldn’t take it anymore.

“Please yell at us or something, this is so much worse.” He begged.

“We know.” Allura said firmly. 

Lance and Keith exchanged a look and sunk farther into their chairs. The ride was quiet. They didn’t even put on the radio the whole drive back to camp. Once they got there, the boys were hesitant to get out until they saw Pidge Hunk and Shay come up to the car. 

“We were so worried about you!” Shay said as they climbed out of the car.

“What were you two thinking?” Allura demanded. “It’s an hour past curfew! You two are under our supervision you can’t just run off!”

“We’re sorry Allura, we lost track of time.” Keith said, looking down at his feet.

“We were just trying to have a real first date that didn’t involve being stared at.” Lance added for sympathy.

It worked a little, Allura’s shoulders dropped from their hunched position. “You two could have at least called or checked for our texts.” 

They both nodded. “Thanks for coming to pick us up.”

“You’re both going to wash and clean out the bus tomorrow.” Shiro decided.

“What?!” They both said, their heads shooting back up.

“And I mean detail clean. Consider it a form of grounding.” He sent them back to their room without another word.

They trudged along the path to the dorms, not quite to the point of being sad about the night but just bummed enough about having to clean a manky bus in the morning. Lance found Keith’s hand again and held it while they walked. The night had been a successful first date, even if they did have to be ‘grounded’ over it.

Lance stopped just short of their door and turned to face Keith. “So?”

Keith raised his eyebrow. “So what?”

“So are you the type of boy that kisses on the first date?” Lance asked, bouncing his eyebrows suggestively.

“Not normally.” Keith replied, grabbing the ends of Lance’s jacket and pulling them together. The slight height difference was hardly a problem for them, not that either one was too focused on it at the moment. Keith broke the contact as abruptly as he’d made it, smirking at the look of wonder on Lance’s face. “I guess I can make an exception though.”

“Is it because of my amazing dating skills?” He asked, regaining his composure.

“Or because I’m tired.” Keith countered as he dropped Lance’s hand and turned to their room. 


	6. Phone Call for Lance McClain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance blushed a little. “Second date, huh? That’s the first I’ve heard about this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VNV__mV38s&list=PLe6yqcYQ_xv5vveXp5WxfRAJXEV5F_Ljg&index=6

“Hope you two ate enough at breakfast, this is going to take a bit.” Allura said, handing them each a bucket with a sponge and soap. 

“This is going to be the cleanest this bus has been since we got her.” Shiro said, patting the side of the beast. 

The boys groaned. They’d been dreading this all morning and Pidge promised to enjoy their punishment much more than they were going to. Shiro said they’d be back in a few hours to check on them which made Lance groan even louder and more dramatically. 

Keith dumped his bucket and used the hose to fill them up with soapy water. “This blows.”

“I blame you for this.” Lance muttered.

“How is this my fault?”

“You were the one who lead us to the park.”

Keith dunked his sponge into a bucket. “You were the one who kept me distracted from my phone all night.” 

Lance pointed finger guns at the other boy with a flashing smile. “Was it my amazing charm?”

“Will you help me out here?”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Lance grabbed another sponge and they started on the inside of the bus. 

Keith put on a song by All Time Low that Lance was surprised he knew the words to, but after a while sharing a room with him he’d heard every song on keith’s phone at least a dozen times. The floor of the bus was worse than either of them had imagined. Gum was stuck between the ridges and under seats, caked on mud and dirt were everywhere, they were pretty sure they were the first ones who had ever broken curfew by the state of it. 

“Pretty sure this is the last legal form of torture.” Lance whined as he threw out the water from his bucket now that it had turned black and cloudy.

“This is disgusting.” Keith agreed.

“It’s time for a change in pace.” Lance said, grabbing Keith’s phone. He hit pause on Black Parade, much to Keith’s disdain.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He demanded.

“I’ve listened to nothing but emo music since I got here, you need to lighten up.” Lance scrolled through the songs on his own phone. 

“It’s not all emo.” Keith mumbled under his breath as he grudgingly slide back under one of the seats. 

“How about some One Republic? I feel like you won’t hate it too much.” 

He clicked on  _ Counting Stars _ and left it on shuffle. Keith remembered hearing in on the radio a lot before and it had been a little over played, but he’d let it slide for now. For Lance. They treated the morning as sort of a second date, asking more questions and trading more stories. Lance’s favorite of the day was Keith talking about how when he was younger and they had some family gathering--he couldn’t remember what it was--and he looked at every member of the family sitting at the table only to announce “I love me”.

“It is the earliest memory I have of pretty much telling them to shove it.” Keith said, falling down onto the seat just behind the driver’s.

“Did you manage another before you came here?” Lance asked. 

“Well not to the whole family.” 

Lance plopped down into the seat across the aisle and dropped his towel. “Please, do tell. I am a sucker for drama if you didn’t know.”

“I could guess that actually.” Keith teased. “I told my dad about me a while ago, last summer. I wasn’t allowed to go out with my friends much anymore, at least not alone, and I had an early curfew, but he mostly ignored it. Pride month came and went and there was nothing, school started back up in the fall and anything that had a dance attached to it came with uncomfortable silences or loud nosiness. There was no in between. Then it was the holidays and we went to go see family and I got all the ‘do you have a girlfriend’ questions and any variation there is a million times and I knew I couldn’t really say anything so it was always just ‘no’ and a change in topic. Finally I guess I just got sick of all the questions and I said ‘no, I don’t think I’ll ever bring home a girl unless she’s actually a guy’ and everything got really quiet. No one said anything until my dad said we were leaving and that was it. He looked everywhere for a place to put me but I didn’t realize it until later. They don’t have places in California where he was looking so it took him longer to find this place. By the time I found out and we had a big fight about it, he’d already made a reservation for me and I realized I had no way to stop him from sending me.”

“I guess we could all use a bit of that emancipation Pidge is looking for.” Lance said with a sigh. 

“And you were undone by some boy at a party?”

“Not just some boy, he was a very attractive family friend.” Lance corrected. After that though, it was kind of like what happened with you. My parents confronted me afterwards and I thought here’s my chance to get out of the closet and they sent me here.”

“Blessing in disguise.”

“ _ Está cañón _ .” Lance shrugged. “It’s hard knowing they think this is changing me and that they won’t be happy if I ever go home.”

“ _ If _ you go home?” Keith looked shocked.

“Aren’t you the one who said you don’t think you’ll ever go home?”

“Well yeah but that’s me.”

“We’re in the same boat here.”

“This is a bus.”

Lance smiled. “Funny.”

“Well pressure can’t always be on you now can it.” Keith got to his feet. “Come on, moving to the outside of the beast.”

They tumbled out into the late morning sun and were glad they’d chosen to wear short sleeved shirts. Even though it was still March the weather was beginning to warm up, especially with the sun beating down on them and coming back off the bus. They each took a side of the bus to start on and at some point, it became another race. They made their way from the back to the front, running over as much of the bus as they could. Keith made it to the front of the bus first, but Lance pointed out he’d clearly missed a section of the bus top that he couldn’t reach and so the win fell to him instead. 

“How exactly am I supposed to reach up there?” Keith demanded.

“How’d you get the rest of it?”

“I stood on the tires...”

Lance put his hand over his heart. “Such a small child.”

Keith punched him in the arm. “Either help me out or go away!”

“Okay okay.” Lance jumped up and swatted at the section Keith missed, though neither of them was sure how they were going to get up on the top of the bus. 

They stood back to look over their situation as the soap dripped down the sides of the beast and puddled in the dirt. “We could climb onto the hood and just spray down the top.” Lance suggested.

“That’s as good an idea as I can think of.” Keith agreed. “But I’m not getting up there.”

“Oh you big baby.” Lance grabbed the hose and climbed up right in front of the windshield. 

He was nervous standing on the hood would dent it, but they were both pleased to see that while it may have looked like it was on it’s last leg, it held up under his weight. “This is the most disgusting roof of any vehicle I have ever seen.”

“I can believe that.” Keith said with an amused nod of his head.

“I don’t know if water is going to do the trick.”

“Turn the knob to adjust for power.” Lance twisted the top and tapped the handle lightly, a stream of water splashing in the ground right at Keith’s feet. “Hey!”

“Sorry.”

“You’re gonna be!”

“It was an accident!” Lance promised, holding up his hands in surrender.

“The focus so we can get out of here.” He grumbled.

“Party pooper.” Lance muttered as he turned the hose of the top of the bus. The higher power was good for getting off a lot, but there was plenty that was going to be too caked on for today. That’s fine, as long as Shiro and Allura didn’t climb the bus, they’d never know. He was just finishing up when Lance looked sideways at Keith who was doing something on his phone. He shot a quick stream at his feet again as a warning. “Get off your phone, there’s water around.”

“Lance!” 

He laughed. “Come help me down, it’s your turn to hose off the beast.”

Keith put his phone off in the shade where Lance had put his and took the hose only to get him back.

“Hey! I didn’t actually get you!” He said, looking down at the stripe of water across the knees of his jeans.

“You tried to twice, it’s not my fault you’ve got terrible aim.” Keith said, dropping the hose and offering his hand for help getting off the hood. Lance took it and slid down, muttering something in Spanish Keith probably didn’t want to know in English.

Keith grabbed the hose again and started to spray down the sides of the bus while Lance looked for something he could splash Keith with. The only thing they had around them was the two buckets and sponges. He would be so mad. Lance casually slide his way over to the nearest bucket and picked up the sponge, wringing it out a little before walking up to Keith and slapping it down on his shoulder. 

“Lance!” 

“That’s what you get!” He backed up as Keith aimed the hose at him again. Since he’d turned the power down, it didn’t reach as far so Lance could dance out of the direct fire. He adjusted the power, but Lance grabbed the hose and bent it to prevent waterflow, smirking at his opponent. “Last point goes to me.”

“Oh yeah?” Keith dropped the hose and marched over to the bucket and chucked the sponge at him instead, hitting him square in the chest.

“It’s on now, Mullet.” Lance cried, grabbing the sponge off the ground and dunking it in the bucket again as he ran after Keith. 

The latter had ran over to the other bucket for the sponge, laughing as he screamed at Lance to stop. They traded projectiles, tossing them at each other and effectively making a muddy mess of the ground and each other. Once Keith hesitated and got Lance to throw his only weapon at him, he was left with no form of defense. 

“Give it up Lance, you have nothing left.” 

Lance looked around and noticed he was right. “That’s just what I want you to think!”

Keith rushed at him just as Lance grabbed the bucket at his feet. He wasn’t sure if it would work, but Lance tipped the bucket up over his head just as Keith was in range and drenched the other boy in cloudy, soapy water.

They both stood stunned for a second. Keith’s mouth tasted like soap and his hair was plastered against his face. Lance knew he was dead. Then they both started laughing. Keith dropped the two sponges into the dust and brushed his hair out of his eyes as Lance dropped the bucket with a loud clatter and clutched his stomach. They wobbled on their feet as their sides began to hurt, but Lance couldn’t stop picturing the look on Keith’s face and Keith couldn’t stop staring at the way Lance’s hair was standing up in every direction. 

“You’re a mess.” Lance said as he tried to catch his breath.

“You should see your hair!” Keith countered. 

“You should see both of you.” The boys jumped and turned to see Pidge with an amused smile on her lips. “I thought this was supposed to be a punishment.”

“It started out like that.” Lance said with a shrug. 

The boys fell onto a bench. “So what’s up?” Lance asked.

“I’ve got good news.” Pidge said proudly. “I was on the computer earlier and I was thinking about how you two couldn’t check your emails today for job stuff so I figured I’d just go ahead and take a look for you--”

“How did you get into my email?” Lance demanded.

“And Keith’s.” Pidge added.

It was the other boy’s turn to look offended. “What?”

“Your passwords are so  _ easy _ .” Pidge said dismissively. “The point is, both of you have good news.”

“From who?” They asked in unison. 

“Lance from some place in the mall that I don’t really remember and Keith from that place in the food court with the awesome sandwiches.”

“Look at that, we’re not even in competition.” Keith pointed out. “That’s good, it would have made for a weird second date if we were.”

Lance blushed a little. “Second date, huh? That’s the first I’ve heard about this.”

It was Keith’s turn to blush and Pidge’s turn to roll her eyes. “You two better not be going on a date any time soon looking like that. Lunch is in an hour can’t you two go take a shower or something?”

“Race you to the dorms!” Keith said, jumping up and running away.

“You’re on!” Lance shouted right behind him.

Pidge shook her head. “Well finder’s keepers.” She scooped up their phones from where they’d left them in the grass then turned and headed towards the Main Hall to meet up with Shay. 

“Guess what I swiped.” She said, finding her talking to Hunk.

“Have you seen Lance?” Hunk asked.

“I just sent him to take a shower, you should have seen the two of them.” She saw the look Hunk and Shay shared and her light hearted mood disappeared. “What’s going on?”

“A call came in this morning for him and Allura said she needed to talk to him.” Hunk explained. “I’ll find her can you bring Lance to meet us at the Main Hall?”

The girls nodded and hurried to the boys’ dorm room. By the time they got there, Keith was drying his hair with a towel and Lance’s shower had already started. 

“He let you go first?” Pidge asked.

Keith nodded. “Yeah, well I won so he had to. I locked the door behind me.”

“As soon as he comes out, you need to get him down to the Main Hall.” Shay looked nervous like earlier, putting them both on edge.

“What’s wrong?”

“Who called earlier?”

Shay hesitated, wringing her hands. “I am unsure if I should say.”

“He’s our friend, if you know we should know.” Keith insisted.

“It was his mother.”

The room fell silent and they heard the water to the shower shut off. “What do we do?” Pidge asked. “We can’t tell him!”

“Well he’s going to figure it out pretty soon.” Keith whispered.

“We could let Allura break it to him...” Pidge suggested.

Shay nodded. “She  _ is  _ the most well equipped to handle such situations. And she did ask to talk to him herself.”

“Deal.”

They stood back as Lance shuffled into the room, a towel across his shoulders and only shorts on. “Well hello ladies, I wasn’t aware there’d be an audience.”

“Oh I’m sorry, get all dressed up for Keith did you?” Pidge teased, grabbing Shay’s hand. “We’ll leave you two to it then!” 

The girls hurried from the room as the two boys blushed, glancing at each other then darting their eyes anywhere but. Luckily, the bell rang just as Lance pulled his shirt over his head and they headed out to the Main Hall. 

Keith wanted to grab Lance’s hand and drag him back to their room, keep him there like those four walls could keep bad news out of his life. They’d been having fun, they were going to interviews the next week, they were bonding and now this bomb was about to drop and Lance wasn’t going to be able to play this off like everything else. This was going to hurt and Keith didn’t want it to. But he couldn’t keep it from him either. This was about him and his family, Keith had no say, no voice in anything; all he could do was be there afterwards.

Hunk was nervously inhaling everything on his plate as he watched the door for Keith and Lance. Pidge and Shay had found him sitting with Allura and they said the two boys were coming but the few minutes felt like an eternity. Shay was messing with the end of her camp shirt and Pidge was fiddling with something in her lap while Allura paced, all of them making the others even more nervous.

Eventually they came in and Keith’s own anxiousness seemed to draw his eyes right to them. He pointed them out to Lance and suggested they make their way over to their friends before getting food. His stomach turned so much he knew he wouldn’t eat anything if they picked it up now anyways. 

“What’s wrong?” Lance asked as they approached the table.

“Wrong?” Allura repeated, her voice an octave higher than normal.

“That was convincing.” Lance said sarcastically. “Seriously, what? If this is about last night, I think Keith and I should be off the hook now.”

“No, no, it’s not about that.” She took a deep breath. “Lance will you come with me outside please?” 

He glanced at his friends who were either really bad at hiding their facial expressions or they weren’t really trying. “...Okay.”

She lead him outside, leaving the others to watch them leave. They took a collective deep breath once Lance was out of sight. 

“This is going to get bad.” Hunk said somberly.

“We can hope that he will not leave us still.” Shay reminded him. “He was so passionate about us staying together, surely he would not leave us now.”

“I don’t meant that.”

“Lance loves his family.” Pidge explained. “It killed him to be here, if they say they’ll take him back home... he would pick them over us. It’s as easy as that.”

“No, Shay is right.” Keith said firmly. “He’s not going to leave.”

Pidge sighed. “I get you don’t  _ want  _ him to leave, but Keith--”

“No, I’m serious. The way he talks about them, they’re not going to let this go if they take him home they’ll just send him to a real place. He might love them to death but their love may actually kill him, he won’t go back with them. I won’t let him.”


	7. Call from Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You could try scream yoga.” Keith suggested. They all looked at him like he’d started speaking in tongues. “What? It’s a thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfQJ_V9K3EM&index=3&list=PLe6yqcYQ_xv5vveXp5WxfRAJXEV5F_Ljg

Keith was right in that they didn’t have to worry about him leaving, but the others were right too; his parents did not make anything easy for him. Lance disappeared with Allura for most of the afternoon and they didn’t see him again until after dinner. He’d gone back to his and Keith’s room and buried himself under his blankets so when his friends came in, they almost didn’t see him. Allura told them it had been quite the phone call. She’d taken him to the main office and let him use the phone but even through the door she’d closed to give him privacy she could hear him arguing with his mother. 

From what they’d gotten from her and the mumbled explanation from Lance, they pieced together that his family had essentially kicked him out. They cut him off and said they wouldn’t pay for him to be there anymore, though Allura assured him he could stay. She wasn’t about to let a minor be left homeless if she had anything to say about it. 

The next few days it was all they could do to get Lance back to normal in time for his interview. They went out into the town, they helped the camp’s dance class get started up, Keith even took him out on a few dates doing anything he wanted including the old school arcade in the mall. They could see him slowly staring to cheer up, though they knew better than to hope he could just bounce back from something like that. After their dates, Keith took Lance to the top of the hill back at camp just to hear him talk about the stars. 

That’s where he seemed the most okay, staring off at the night sky like he was among the stars and all his problems were left here on Earth. He could talk about stories he’d heard as a kid or ones he’d made up for hours as long as Keith would let him. They were careful not to miss curfew again even though Keith was now the only one with a phone. He did his best to keep it away around Lance for fear of just bringing up memories he was trying so hard to help him forget.

The day before their interviews, Keith nearly ran into Shiro as he rounded the corner looking for Lance. A letter had come in from his siblings that morning and they both hoped that whatever was inside would be the thing to get him back on his feet. And it did. Lance was ecstatic as he ripped open the envelope and read the papers inside, one from each of his siblings telling him they loved him no matter what, that they’d known for a while and didn’t care, that they would always be his family. Lance was in tears just finishing the first one, but they were finally tears of happiness. Keith’s heart felt so full seeing him smile again that he wanted to tell them all thank you himself. If only they could see what it had really done for him. 

When the time finally came for interviews, they were certain Lance would be able to nail it. Hunk drove the two of them into town a little early to coincide with Shay’s shift and dropped them off at the mall to wait. Pidge was left at camp for the day, but as they were having a genderless day and seemed on edge, everyone seemed okay with that.

“If you’re working at a food place, can I come by and steal sandwiches on my break?” Lance asked.

“If you want to get me fired!”

“Employee discounts, right? I work in the mall, that place is in the mall food court, it should totally count.”

“I doubt that.” Keith said, shaking his head. He was glad to see Lance was back to making jokes whenever they popped into his head. Apparently the letters did the trick. 

They parted ways early to get to their respective interviews as Shay had suggested they do to show they could be not only on time but also early, and wished each other good luck. As they would come to find out later when they talked about it, both of their interviews were pretty similar. They handed over their resume, talked about how they wanted to work at  _ this specific place _ \--though really their little speeches could have been tweaked for anywhere they’d applied-- and all that they planned to bring to their jobs. It felt pretty fake, but they were pretty sure they had the jobs in the bag. 

They met back up for lunch--downstairs of course, Keith felt awkward standing around the place he’d just applied to or even worse going somewhere in sight--and while they both felt confident, they didn’t want to jinx anything. Instead, Lance dragged Keith back to the old school arcade and once again beat him at Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug but to both of their surprise, Keith actually beat him on Tetris. He was never going to let Lance forget it either.

Hunk and Shay were pleased to hear they were confident in their interviews just as Shiro and Allura were. A part of Lance wished he could have shared his first interview story with his mother, but then he just wished he had enough phone power left to tell them he was on is way to complete and total independence. That would have been a lie, but it would have been good to say anyway. Keith seemed to sense his thoughts straying so he suggested they go find Pidge and bug them since they’d missed out on a few hours worth of it. They checked the computed lab but didn’t see their small friend. Coran said they’d mentioned not feeling well earlier and had gone back to their room. In the last few drop offs they’d been getting less and less kids so somehow, they’d had their own room since Shay had moved out.

“Pidge!” Lance cried as they burst into her room.

“Go screw yourself.” They mumbled with their head underneath a pillow. Pidge was curled up with their hands around their torso, kneading into their stomach while all the lights were off. Lance and Shay were the first two to realize what was going on.

“Do you need some advil?” Shay asked.

“I’m sure Allura has midol.” Lance said.

Hunk looked over at Keith. “What’s going on here?”

“No idea.” The latter shrugged, but stood back. 

“I’m still biologically a female, that’s what.” Pidge said angrily. “My head hurts and my uterus feels like it’s going to explode.”

Keith and Hunk blushed bright red as they looked at each other then at her then back like they weren’t sure how to handle this situation anymore. 

Lance rolled his eyes. “If you’re going to be a pair of boys about this, go find Allura and ask for Midol.”

“Done.” Keith said, heading back out the door with Hunk trailing behind him.

“Do we know anyone with a heating pad?” Shay asked.

“If we did, don’t you think I would have gotten it already?” Pidge grumbled.

“Hey sassy pants, I know you’re in pain but we’re just trying to help.” Lance chided. 

They sighed and rolled over onto their back, still hiding under their pillow. “I know, I know, I’m sorry. It just sucks that it had to be today. Why not yesterday?”

Lance had had experience with seeing his sisters go through period cramps and had gotten over it a long time ago but helping a girl on her period was different than helping a nonbinary person. Pidge probably felt like their body was betraying them and honestly Lance kind of felt like that was true even if you did identify as a girl; his sisters hated it. 

Hunk and Keith returned with a little pill bottle and a chocolate bar. “I didn’t know chocolate actually helped, I thought it was like a random stereotype.”

Pidge poked their head out from under the pillow. “She gave you guys chocolate too?”

Keith nodded. “Said she keeps it on hand for this type of situation.” 

They handed over their peace offerings and Pidge already seemed better. Lance and Keith talked about their interviews, Shay talked about her day at work, Pidge shared their chocolate--in very small pieces, but the gesture was appreciated--and Hunk had to leave a bit early to help out with counselor business.

“This is going to get weird once you have a roommate again.” Lance said with his feet hanging off the empty bed. 

“Tell me about it. I may have to run them out.” Pidge said. The others couldn’t tell if they were serious or not but they were hoping.

“You should try doing yoga.” Shay suggested.

Pidge looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “ _ Yoga _ ?”

“Yeah, it’s great!” She insisted. “It helps you ease your mind and relax it’s perfect.”

“You could try scream yoga.” Keith suggested. They all looked at him like he’d started speaking in tongues. “What? It’s a thing.”

“What the hell is scream yoga?” Lance asked.

“It’s just like yoga but instead of easy breathing you scream. I hear it helps get rid of frustration and stress.”

“That actually sounds really fun.” Pidge had to admit. 

“Yeah let’s all just go outside and start scream stretching at kids.” Lance said sarcastically.

“Don’t knock it until you try it.” Pidge said, pushing themself up off the bed. 

With that, the others followed her outside and made their way to the most secluded area they could find which just so happened to be the hilltop with the greatest view in camp. 

“I can’t wait to scream at this view.” Lance said.

“You can  _ leave _ .” Keith pointed out. “We’re trying to help Pidge.”

Shay had been looking at a few beginner yoga moves that she thought would best involve screaming so they let her lead them. She started off with a simple one where they reached down into the grass, head tucked between their arms and instead of a deep breath, there was a range of screeching to yelling that dissolved into giggles and laughter. From there, They walked their feet back a little as they turned their faces upwards and screamed again, getting the same end result. After a few more, it was more laughter than yelling so they all fell into corpse pose and watched the clouds as the laughter died down.”

“Well, I have to admit I feel better.” Pidge said. The stretches had actually helped ease the cramps a bit and the screaming took their mind off the betrayal they felt from their own body.

“Actually, me too.” Lance agreed. He wasn’t one to yell at people, but screaming at nothing sort of felt nice. It was like he could scream about his frustration and anger and hurt without having to actually say anything. 

“Thank you Keith.” Keith said, nudging Lance’s arm.

“Yeah yeah, thanks Mullet.” He said, reaching over and brushing his hand against the other boy’s.

The others smiled and watched the early spring sky as the clouds blew past in the breeze, talking about whatever came to their minds. Once the sky started to change from blue to purple, they decided to head back towards the middle of camp. Since the weather was getting warmer that meant mosquitoes were out more and Pidge swore they had some sort of magic blood because every summer she was always covered in bites. They spotted Hunk helping Shiro drag some boxes up to the main offices so they decided not to go after him. Sometimes it was easy to forget he worked here and actually had responsibilities. They found him again at dinner and reported on the success of scream yoga, much to his surprise.

“You will have to try it with us next time.” Shay said, “It was quite fun!”

“I kept picturing people that had made me angry and I was just basically screaming at anyone who’d pissed me off.” Pidge explained. “It was great. You get to vent without actually having any consequences.”

“Sounds fun. I don’t really get too stressed though. If I do, I actually tend to want to bake or cook something.”

“You bake?” Lance asked. “That’s awesome, you gotta make us something sometime!”

“We don’t have a very big selection of ovens here Lance.” He pointed out.

“What about in the kitchens? I’m sure if you asked while they’re not busy they would let you.” Keith said.

“Oh please do!” Shay insisted.

“Alright, what do you guys want to try?”

“Something with chocolate.” Pidge said.

“Maybe chocolate chip cookies?” Lance suggested.

The others approved; who didn’t like chocolate chip cookies? Hunk agreed so long as he wouldn’t be in anyone else’s way and he didn’t have anything to do as far as counselor business. The others decided they could live with that. 

Throughout the past week, the others had noticed Lance and Keith brushing up against one another more often, sitting next to each other no matter how many other seats were open or how crowded it got. Still, they hadn’t decided on what exactly they were to each other. The word ‘boyfriend’ had appeared in each of their minds but neither had spoken it yet.

They spent a little bit of time after dinner with their friends until curfew rounded the corner and they all went back to their own rooms. While the boys got dressed and ready for bed, the word lingered over them again. 

“Hey Keith...” Lance said, his voice just over the light sound of Keith’s music.

“Hmm?”

“Are we like... dating now?”

“Well, we’ve been on a few dates...”

“That’s not what I asked though.” 

Keith sighed and turned his head to look at him in the dark. “Are you asking me because you  _ want  _ to know the answer, or because you don’t?”

Lance rolled over on his stomach, propping his head up on his palm. “I like going on dates with you. I just want to know if it’s ever going to be more than what it is now.”

Keith turned back to look at the ceiling. “This isn’t how the rest of the world works, Lance. We’re not going to stay here forever, we won’t be safe forever.”

Lance slid out of bed and sat next to Keith’s head until the latter turned to look at him. “You have a terrible attitude.”

“Then why do you want to date me?”

He smiled a little. “Because it’s kind of cute.”

Keith’s face must have turned pink, but it was dark enough to where only he knew it. “Are you sure? If we decide this is real, I’m not going to be able to just turn it on or off.”

“Keith, I just lost pretty much everyone I ever used to know.”

“Lance--”

“And I know that as long as I have you guys I can get through it. You guys have gone so far out of your way for me, everyone has, but you are the one who can actually make me forget about it, even if just for an hour. Keith, you are making this easier for me, that feels real enough already.”

Keith propped himself up on his elbow. “Okay then. I guess we’re dating.”

Lance pecked his lips with a small kiss. “That means I get to call you my boyfriend.” He said in a light, singsong voice.

Keith rolled his eyes with a smile. “Alright, go to bed you loser.”

“Sure bae.”

“Okay, that’s  _ not  _ going to be happening, not ever.” Keith covered his face with his hands.

Lance laughed as he crawled back into bed and the two of them drifted off to sleep, the weight of the word  _ boyfriend  _ now a welcome feeling. 


	8. Drag Queen?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Shiro, are you wearing eyeliner?” Pidge asked.
> 
> He shrugged. “Allura likes to practice on me.”
> 
> “Runs in the family I suppose. Those lines are straighter than I’ll ever be.” Keith said under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTtuveGS3bs&list=PLe6yqcYQ_xv5vveXp5WxfRAJXEV5F_Ljg&index=1
> 
> A year ago, the world lost 49 lives in the Pulse Nightclub shooting. People were gunned down just because of who they love and who they are. And the rest of us will never be the same.

Soon, March bled over into April and the camp started to come alive outside. The grass was free to grow, moving like waves in the breeze, and following the Dance club, more and more activities popped up all around the lake. From an outsider’s perspective, it probably looked like any other summer camp that just happened to open a little early. 

Keith and Lance found many more opportunities to hold friendly competitions between them with every activity they tried. So far, Keith had the reigning record for fencing and the obstacle course while Lance had the best time and score for swimming and archery. He begged the others to call him Sharpshooter after he beat the previous high score by more than 10 points. Their rivalry got to the point that the other campers started placing bets on them sometimes, working through Pidge who always seemed to win in the end. 

Both of them had gotten their jobs at the mall so dates were a bit more fun now. They went to the movies--they both agreed Deadpool was the one to beat for the summer run of movies--and agreed to have dinner at every restaurant in town before the end of the summer. Keith finally got in contact with his father and they agreed Keith wouldn’t be returning home. He gave up his phone and motorcycle in exchange for his father keeping up on payments for the camp. He didn’t mention that he and Lance were saving up money to go to the local community college after the summer ended; he didn’t deserve to know that. Nor did he deserve to know that he and Lance were dating, that he was happy. For the them, the summer was looking out to be the best of their lives.

Then, for Pidge, it became much more rocky. Coran and Alfor had to inform her that the law didn’t allow minors to become emancipated simply because they were unhappy with their parent or guardian. She was stuck. The others had ideas that panned out to nothing, leaving them without a proper way to help their friend. The only upside they could see was that her aunt wasn’t demanding she come home, fixed or otherwise. 

“Maybe I’ll just run away.” Pidge said as she stared at her ceiling one day. They were getting another bus with more kids tomorrow and she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d have the room to herself so she’d invited Lance Keith and Shay while she could. 

“You can’t run away, no one is going to believe you’re old enough to run around without adult supervision.” Lance pointed out, his head in Keith’s lap.

“Is that a short joke?” She demanded.

“Maybe.”

“He has a point though.” Keith said, kicking a piece of Lances hair off his forehead. “No one would give you a job yet because you’re so young, you’re not going to be able to get a place to stay, all that money is going to run out eventually.”

Pidge sighed. She knew all of that, but there was nothing else she had. They didn’t like to talk about it, but the camp was slipping. There weren’t as many kids coming in anymore so either the word would get out or they’d run out of money but whatever came first, everyone knew Camp S.A.G.A. wasn’t going to be around until Pidge’s 18th birthday. 

The air of self pity was sliced open by the sound of the lunch bell, sending them all to the Main Hall. Hunk sat down next to them and told them all he knew about the kids who were showing up the next day.

“From what I heard, there’s at least 20 kids coming in, that’s more than it’s been for the past two weeks.”

“That might mean things are turning around for the camp.” Shay said happily.

Lance looked up as two boys passed them. “While we’re on the topic of camp questions--”

“Who exactly was asking questions?” Pidge intterupted.

“Well you just did.” Keith pointed out.

“Why have I heard people call Alfor ‘Your Highness’?” Lance asked.

“When was this?” Pidge asked, glancing over towards Alfor. He did admittedly have a sort of regal appearance about him, but the nickname was still weird.

“Just yesterday, Jesse said something about it and started laughing.” Lance nodded over to the two boys who were just sitting down.

It fell to Shay to explain. According to her, after Alfor’s wife, Allura’s mother, died and left him a widower, he lost his job. She didn’t have all the details but she claimed that somewhere along the way he’d stumbled upon a gay bar and met Coran and saw a show that changed his life. Alfor... was a drag queen.

Lance’s mouth fell open and Pidge nearly choked on her food. Keith and Hunk stared at her, dumbstruck by her words. 

“You’re kidding.” Keith said.

“Not at all. His signature mark is these two light blue marks underneath his eyes.” Shay insisted.

“Why doesn’t everyone know about this?” Lance asked in a loud whisper.

Pidge was staring across the room towards where Coran and Alfor were talking. “I could see it. Snowy white hair, bright eyes. Absolutely.”

The rest of them looked across the room too, turning back to their food once Alfor glanced their way. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. I’ve always wondered about what Drag Queens did with the rest of their time. Who knew they protected kids like us?”

“Guys look.” Hunk set his phone down in the middle of the table for everyone to see what popped up when he searched “Drag Queen Alfor”. Some of them certainly weren’t the man they were looking for, but Hunk clicked onto one that, underneath the bright blue eyeliner and sculpted facial hair, was unmistakably the head of Camp S.A.G.A. 

“Oh my god look at that eyeliner. That has to take forever, look how perfect the lines are!” Lance said, zooming in around the eyes. 

Shay pointed out the blue marks she mentioned earlier but all Keith could pay attention to was the beard. “This is like Seneca Crane level sculpting.” 

“Do you think he still does that?” Pidge asked.

“Well he has quite a few responsibilities nowadays.” Shay pointed out.

“But there are nights when he’s gone too.” Keith said. “I need to see this, I’ve never wanted to see a Drag Race so badly in my entire life!” 

“I used to watch RuPaul’s Drag Race all the time.” Hunk admitted. “They’re insanely talented.”

“Yeah, just look!”

“What are you guys talking about?” Shiro asked, coming up behind them.

Keith swept Hunk’s phone nearly off the table in his haste to hide it. “Nothing...”

Shiro raised his eyebrow suspiciously.

“Shiro, are you wearing eyeliner?” Pidge asked.

He shrugged. “Allura likes to practice on me.”

“Runs in the family I suppose. Those lines are straighter than I’ll ever be.” Keith said under his breath.

“Aren’t you two supposed to be at work?” Shiro asked Lance and Keith.

“I don’t work until 2 today.” Keith said with a small shrug. 

“Same.” Lance pipped. 

“Hunk, do we need anything else for tomorrow? I’m making a run into town.”

“We’re still going to have a few extra beds and rooms tomorrow.” Hunk sighed. “I’m sure we’re good.”

Shiro nodded and left the hall. Slowly, the others peeled themselves away from the table and to the rest of their daily activities. Lance and Keith met Hunk to drive them to the mall and only an hour after they left, a call came to the camp that shook all of the campers to their core.

Alfor and Allura left Coran in charge of the campers when they left, little to no explanation as to why, but the panic and pain they saw in Allura’s tear streaked face made all of their questions get caught in their throats. The only thing that gave them any idea was when Hunk came back with Lance and Keith to a camp filled with silence. Everyone, despite the cold that had seeped in from the sunset, was waiting for someone to tell them what was going on.

Coran told Hunk, leaving Lance and Keith just as confused as the others. They waited until Alfor returned--without Allura--so he and Coran could talk about how to handle the situation. At Hunk’s urging, they decided they needed to tell the other campers.

“Children, please gather around.” Alfor said, his voice heavy. They gathered around him, both curious and scared for what he had to say. “Earlier today... our camp counselor, Shiro, was in a car accident. He is alive, don’t worry, but there are some... complications. They are discussing amputating his arm if they’re unable to repair the damage done to it. Allura is with him now, leaving us all down two counselors for tomorrow. We’re going to need everyone’s help in making sure we can get everyone settled.”

Lance stepped forward. “Keith and I can help with the bedroom set up.”

“We can?” Keith winced as Lance elbowed his ribs.

“Thank you boys. Hunk, you’re going to need to get the tour done tomorrow.” Coran said.

“I shall help with that.” Shay said, her voice cracking just a bit. She wiped a tear from her cheek. 

“Thank you.” Alfor said. “Please go now to your rooms, it will be an early day for us tomorrow.”

They headed back to the dorms in a group--except for Hunk and Shay who went to the counselor dorms--and the dorms were a bit quieter than normal. Lance sat at the end of Keith’s bed as the latter crawled into bed. 

“We have to go see him tomorrow.” 

Keith nodded, crossing his legs. “But we can’t leave everyone here at camp with the new kids.”

Lance shrugged. “Or we could go now.”

“Lance, you want to break curfew  _ again _ ? On purpose this time?”

“We’ll get permission, Hunk can drive us. Like a field trip.”

Keith fell backwards onto his pillow. “You couldn’t have made this plan up before I got dressed?”

“Come on, grab some shoes while I grab Pidge and we’ll storm the castle.”

“Was that a  _ Princess Bride _ reference?” 

Lance smiled and kissed Keith quickly before getting to his feet. “I love that you knew that so quickly, it wasn’t even a complete reference. Come on, get up!”

Keith groaned, but grabbed a pair of shoes anyways. The boys picked up Pidge along the way then stopped at Shay’s room. Both of them looked like they had the same plan, though they’d at least thought to put on jeans. Hunk opened his door to the four of them and just sighed. “Alright, get in the car. And be quiet about it.”

They hadn’t gotten more than ten feet before Coran walked in through the main doors. “Heading out are we?”

“No...?”

“Smooth Lance.” Keith said, shaking his head.

“We just want to go see Shiro.” Shay said softly.

Coran nodded then stood off to the side of the hall. “You’re not getting out of early morning duties, so I suggest you’re not all out until morning.”

“Thanks Coran!” Pidge said as they hurried out to Hunk’s car. 

They crammed in again and the ride to the hospital was filled with nervous silence and small talk. The walk up to the front desk though was utterly quiet. The nurse directed them to where Allura was waiting for him since he was currently in surgery. She was staring off into space when they rounded the corner to the waiting room.

“Allura.” Shay said as they approached.

She jumped despite Shay’s soft tone. “You’re here.” They nodded and took up seats around her. 

“How is he?” Pidge asked. 

Allura looked at them sadly. “He’s in surgery right now. They said most of his body is going to heal quickly, but that...”

“How are  _ you _ ?” Keith asked, leaning in towards her. “Do you need anything?”

She shook her head. “Just a time machine so I can save my boyfriend’s arm.”

“How about some food?” Hunk suggested. “I can assume you haven’t eaten since lunch.”

“What time is it?” 

“Almost 10.” She nodded and he went to find something that didn’t come out of a vending machine to get her and Allura filled in a few more details in Shiro’s accident.

“He was just driving and someone fell asleep at the wheel that was in the other lane coming towards him.” Her voice was a little shaky, but she continued. “He drifted into Shiro’s lane and they crashed, but the other guy? He’s barely got a scratch. It’s  _ Shiro  _ who got hurt, it’s  _ Shiro  _ who’s losing his arm.”

Shay grabbed Allura’s hands in her own. “He’ll be okay, hun. You know he will.”

Allura nodded, but they weren’t sure if her tears were from pair or from anger. Maybe they were both. “I just want him to be okay.”

“He will be.” Lance assured her. “He’s strong and so are you. You’ll both be okay after all of this is over. He’ll come home.”

She nodded, then a thought came to her. “Oh no, you’re all left without two counselors tomorrow.”

“We’ve got it covered.” Lance said confidently.

“Don’t worry, it’s not just him, those of us who are responsible are also helping out.” Pidge assured her. 

Lance glared but they almost got a laugh out of Allura so he didn’t say anything. “Thank you.” She said, a small weight seemingly lifting from her shoulders. “You’ll be alright for just tomorrow? I can come home tomorrow.”

“We’ll cover for you and Shiro for as long as you need.” Hunk promised, coming back in with a plate of food. 

“I didn’t think the cafeteria was open this late.” Keith said.

“It’s not.”

Pidge smiled. “I can get behind that.”

They waited for a while longer before a nurse came out to say Shiro was out of surgery, but there would be no visitors just yet. She promised that everything had gone smoothly, but that did less to put them at ease than they expected. They needed to amputate his arm almost up to the elbow, but given the fact that they’d been able to do so in the right way, he’d be able to start using a prosthetic within two weeks. 

That brought up another issues: getting a prosthetic arm. Allura sank back into her chair after the nurse left. “I didn’t even think about how much that would cost.” She groaned, putting her head in her hands.

“Don’t you worry about that.” Shay said, putting an arm around her shoulders. 

“We’ll figure something out.” Lance agreed.

The other nodded and Allura smiled sadly at them. “Thank you all for your help, even just coming here tonight. You should go get some rest before the new campers show up.” 

The others knew she was right. It was already past 11 so they hugged her goodbye and filed back out to Hunk’s car. The drive was significantly less quiet this time around. The people who’d brought them in and brought them together needed their help and they would be damned if they didn’t do their best to help them out now. When Pidge looked into it, prosthetics started at around $600 and only went up from there for the better ones. The weight of the situation was staring to push down on them now, as they could only imagine it had been on Allura and her dads all day. 


	9. Good Job Pidge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve been out of school since January, I didn’t plan on coming back so soon.”
> 
> Keith shook his head with a little smile. “I’m dating a delinquent.”
> 
> “You’re so lucky.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcubBW7526s&list=PLe6yqcYQ_xv5vveXp5WxfRAJXEV5F_Ljg&index=2

 

The next morning, everyone was up early. The bus was still fairly clean from the punishment put on Keith and Lance so that was the least of their problems. They had an open breakfast where the campers drifted in and out while they prepared the camp. They set up teams to take the places of Allura and Shiro made up of the oldest kids who’d also been here long enough to know the camp and how the process went.

They were surprised to see that for all their work, there were only about 20 kids on the bus, Hunk met them with Alfor and Coran, introducing the campers who would help with showing them around. Lance and Keith helped them to their rooms, now offering their own room since they were getting down to less and less campers. They took a count that morning and before the new 18 kids showed up, there were 116 kids including Shay and Garret, another who’d just turned 18 and moved over like Shay. The two of them were the ones who took the newbies on a tour around camp and two older girls filed back through to get those who stayed behind like Allura had for Lance and Pidge. 

“Maybe once the word is really out we could find a way to keep this place going.” Lance said as he, Keith and Pidge sat near the edge of the lake. 

“Advertise the camp like it really is.” Pidge said with a nod. “I wonder if it could work.”

Keith laid down in the grass and closed his eyes. “I’ve thought about that too. It would be a public beacon of hope, not a scary hidden one.”

“It wouldn’t do exactly the same thing.” Lance pointed out. “It wouldn’t be saving kids, but it would be protecting them.”

Pidge started plucking flowers out of the grass at her feet. “They could even keep the name. I like it now that I know what it stands for.”

“A tale of heroic achievement. I think it works for the kids who come through here.”

“What are you doing Pidge?” Keith asked, popping one eye open and peeking over.

She was threading the stems of the flowers together and held up a daisy chain. “It’s a flower crown.” She draped it on his head and started on another.

“Cute.” Lance said with a smile. “Can I get one?”

She nodded. A few minutes later, Shay found them and fell down in the grass next to Pidge. Hunk walked over a bit later and Pidge found herself getting commissioned for both of them as well. They hadn’t seen Alfor leave, but now they saw his car pulling up the driveway.

“She’s back!” Pidge said, dropping her own chain in the grass and scrambling to her feet. Allura was back earlier than they thought she would have been, but they were happy to see her, even if they were a little worried still.

“You’re back a little earlier than we were expecting.” Shay said, giving her a warm hug.

“How is everything?” Hunk asked.

“He’s been sleeping most of the day.” She explained. “I didn’t want to leave him, but he asked me to check in on camp.”

“Did you tell him we’re helping?” Lance asked, looking exaggeratedly offended.

Keith nodded. “I’m sure that’s why he said it.” 

“How many kids do we have?”

“Campers, with Shay and Garrett, was 116 and 18 new on the bus.” Pidge reported. 

“Not many then.” Allura sighed. 

A bell rang to call them all to lunch so they pulled her along with them and insisted on keeping her happy and distracted. She told them she was going back again that night so they were going to help her now while they could. 

The lake was still cold, but now that the days were getting warmer, campers were starting to venture in so they brought Allura down to the dock with them. They met up with a few of the new campers and it was amazing the effect they had on them. She was warm and inviting as they approached just as she was when every single other camper got off a bus. The campers all loved her. By the time dinner came around, they’d successfully made Allura smile and laugh which felt like a job well done on their part. She sat with the new kids and told them stories about the camp, it felt like the most successful drop off day they’d ever had. 

While she was distracted, the others went back to looking into prosthetic limbs again. Lance had found the cheapest one so far that looked like a child’s toy. That was the issue they faced with stuff like this, to combat price they had to sacrifice quality and vice versa. 

“It looks like someone just glued a bunch of pieces of metal together.” Keith complained.

“I wish we could do the same thing.” Shay said with a sigh. 

Pidge slammed her hand down on the table and made the others jump. “That’s a great idea.”

Hunk blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“Does anyone have any idea if the high school had a 3D printer?”

“No one here is very local.” 

“Someone find me the email address for the science departments, I need to get in touch with them.” She said, hopping up and dialing a number to call on her phone. 

“Is she ever going to put us in the loop on this, or...?”

“I think I’ve read an article about a pattern made for a prosthetic hand. I think Pidge wants to fix it up and modify it.” Hunk explained.

Lance’s mouth nearly fell open. “That’s genius!”

“I have the email address, I hope they use it during the summer though.” Shay said.

“They have to. We’ll track them down if we need to.” Keith said.

“Sit down, babe, we’re not fighting anyone. Yet.” Lance said, patting his hand. “We do need to get to them though, but how do we know some crotchety old man who loves science is going to take a break from his, well break, to come help a bunch of random kids?”

“Because Pidge is awesome." Pidge said, sitting back down with a triumphant look. “I just got the plan for the hand and another to modify for the arm. Email?” Shay handed over her phone and Pidge copied down the address. She plugged it in and wrote up a quick email. “And by the way, she’s only 42, I doubt she’ll be much of an adversary.”

 

A few days later, Pidge and Hunk met up with Mrs. Montgomery; she’d been doing the big pieces before they showed up and all they needed today was the fingers for the hand. Allura was making regular shifts between the hospital and the camp and Shay, Keith and Lance were working as much as the could to get the money to help pay for the materials. Though it was much cheaper to get it done this way without buying a child’s toy, it wasn’t going to be too cheap. With the hours they stood around waiting for it to be finished, Hunk even had time to pick up Lance and Keith from the mall as well as snacks which were greatly appreciated. Shiro was supposed to be home later that night so they were going to stay until it was done. 

“I feel like it’s going to be winter again by the time we get out of here.” Hunk complained.

“For being so advanced, it does take a bit,” Mrs. Montgomery explained, typing away on her computer. “I’m surprised though. You said your group edited the main pieces?”

Hunk blinked. “Not me. That was all her.”

Pidge gave a small wave. “I like computer stuff.”

“I suppose so.” She said, trying to hide her amazement. 

Hunk eventually had to go pick up the others and bring them back before the last piece was finished. Lance had complained after the first half hour like Pidge and Hunk hadn’t been there for 4 before him. 

“All done.” Mrs. Montgomery said putting the last piece on the tray with the others. “Now to put them together. Pidge?”

“I’m on it. I’ll get the arm.” She said, grabbing two pieces like her hands had minds of their own. 

“I’m guessing you don’t need our help.” Lance said as Shay grabbed a few pieces for the hand attachment. Mrs. Montgomery started cleaning up the printer and materials while they put everything together. 

“Not really.”

“Good, I suck at puzzles.” Keith said, leaning back in the desk chair he sat in. 

Lance sat on the top of the desk, noting that Mrs. Montgomery glanced his way but she didn’t yell so he figured he’d stay. “So, were you any good at Science in school?” He asked Keith.

“Terrible.” He admitted, putting his elbow on the table and lightly scratching Lance’s back. Lance loved when Keith would play with his hair hold his hand or scratch his back, pretty much anything with physical contact between them still felt like sparks flying. 

“Same here. I couldn’t get into it.”

“I was better at stuff like engineering, not necessarily Chemistry.” Hunk said, falling into a seat next to him.

“Engineering?”

Hunk nodded. “Yeah, I was the only person who took Auto and Stage Design in high school.”

“Wait wait  _ wait _ .” Lance said holding up his hands. “You were in drama?”

“Maybe...”

“So was I in my freshman year!” Lance said, sticking his hand out for a high five. “I joined because this really pretty girl was signing up and I had this vision of the two of us working on a play together... she ended up being a lesbian though so I never got my guy-gets-the-girl-moment.”

“Why did you quit?” Keith asked.

“That was the year I realized I liked guys too and that was just a whole mess I didn’t want to deal with at the time so I dropped every class that might have put me with this guy Paul--”

“You had a crush on a guy named Paul?” Hunk asked. “That was the name of my least favorite kids in class.” 

“Oh my God...”

“What?” The other two looked at him questioningly. 

“Paul moved his senior year, coming here to Nevada. He was the same age as you.”

“No way.” Hunk shook his head. “Brown hair?”

“Mhm and glasses. Really awesome butt.” Keith smacked his leg. “What? It was.”

“That would be so freaky if it was the same guy.”

“If you three are done, we can head out now.” Pidge said, holding up a skeletal looking hand. “I’m glad we went with black.” 

“Yes Pidge it will match with everything, let’s get out of here!” Lance said, jumping off the tabletop. “I’ve been out of school since January, I didn’t plan on coming back so soon.”

Keith shook his head with a little smile. “I’m dating a delinquent.”

“You’re so lucky.” Lance pecked his cheek and they piled back into Hunk’s car. 

The look on Allura’s face was everything they were hoping for. “You all made this?”

Hunk blushed a little. “Well, it was mostly Pidge’s work.”

“And everyone else’s money.” She added. 

Allura pulled them all into a group hug. “He’s going to be so happy, I can’t believe it!” 

“He is really coming home today?” Shay asked. 

She nodded. “He’s going through his last checks in just a bit, we’re going to be meeting up with him soon to bring him home.”

“Take it with you.” Pidge said, putting it into her hands. “Making a big scene here at camp with everyone rushing to see him, that’s not what he needs. After something traumatic, he just needs you.”

Allura smiled and hugged her tightly. “You’re right. Thank you all again.” 

“Go get him!” Keith said, waving as she hurried away. 

“I hope you’re right, Pidge.” Lance said, his smiled falling once Allura was out of sight.

“About?”

“I hope that he likes it.” 

Hunk put a hand on his shoulder. “He will. And she’s right that he needs to handle it on his own.”

“We must all proceed carefully.” Shay agreed. 

The four of them sat down along the edge of the dock, watching the other campers and wondering just how this experience was going to change Shiro’s life. Dinner came and went before Alfor’s car was seen again. Coran had been pacing in front of the Main Hall while the others sat in the shadows around the building. They wanted to wait and see how he seemed before jumping out at him, all four at once. 

Allura got out of the back seat with him following. Shiro wore a jacket, but as he moved they could see the black hand as well, almost like he was wearing a glove. He seemed shaken even seeing Coran, but he smiled and hugged him. 

“I’m going to go ahead and say it’s safe.” Keith said, scrambling to his feet and hurrying over to Shiro. 

“Hey Keith.” Shiro said lightly, pulling him in for a hug too. The others came out of their hiding spots as well and tried not to stand too close or crowd him. 

“I can’t thank you enough for this.” Shiro said, glancing down at his prosthetic hand. “It’s going to take some getting used to, but I love it.” 

“We’re glad we could get it in time.” Shay said.

“3D printers take forever.” Lance agreed.

“And they were only there for an hour.” Pidge rolled her eyes.

“Well thank you for your individual contributions.” Shiro said, his eyes trying to convey everything he couldn’t find the words for. 

“Anything for you, Shiro.” Keith said with a small smile. “We’re happy you’re back.” 

“And I’m sure Shiro is happy to have his own bed again.” Alfor said, looking at them all with a knowing look.

He nodded, suddenly looking very tired as if the exhaustion of the past week had caught up to him suddenly. They parted and let Allura and Shiro leave, Alfor and Coran realizing just how late it was getting and that they should all be in bed now. Before anyone could suggest another punishment like washing the bus again, they excused themselves and scattered. 

For the next two weeks, Shiro had to practice every day with his new hand. In the beginning, he would get frustrated or angry, sometimes taking it off which only made things worse. They never took any shortness or snappy remarks personally, they could only imagine how it must feel to lose a limb. Hunk did his best to help with any counselor duties he needed help with, Pidge was almost always on hand to fix and bugs that came up, and Shay, Keith and Lance used any spare minute they had between work on helping to pick up any slack with the other campers. 

A day finally came around when their hard work paid off. Hunk heard Alfor and Coran talking about a plan later on in the week the “first one of this month, which could mean another one next month” or so he quoted back to them.

“What exactly does that have to do with us?” Pidge asked. 

“Because, we know a certain secret about a certain head of a certain Camp.”

“Are we still talking about Alfor?” Lance asked, looking at Keith who seemed equally as confused. 

“I think there’s a drag race coming up.” Hunk said, finally having to spit it out.

“Oh can we go?” Shay asked. “I wish to see His Highness in action!”

“Me too!” Lance and Keith agreed.

Pidge shrugged. “Alright, let me find tickets online.” She found that tickets were $15 at the door and among the names listed as guests, Alfor was hidden among them.

“This is going to be the greatest thing ever!” Lance said excitedly.


	10. Drag Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I feel like this place has changed my life.” Keith said as they gathered their stuff.
> 
> “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see the world the same way. Anyone we’ve ever met could be just as talented and we’d never know.” Lance agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfQJ_V9K3EM&index=3&list=PLe6yqcYQ_xv5vveXp5WxfRAJXEV5F_Ljg

The first drag race anywhere close to camp came in the middle of May. It was over an hour’s drive away and since Shiro was still getting used to using his prosthetic arm for even basic things, Allura wasn’t able to go with him like she used to. Before Camp S.A.G.A. was started, Alfor and Coran would take her along. She’d learned so many different tips and tricks from the other drag queens, she was sad not to be going this time. Still, it gave Coran the excuse to go instead, since they would be leaving Shiro and Allura behind with the camp.

Hunk decided not to tell them that they’d be going to show support. While Allura helped him pack all his things into the car, the other campers had no idea where he was headed. Keith, Lance and Pidge went back to their rooms like they were going to bed, then snuck out to meet Shay and Hunk. 

“I hope that they’re more surprised or happy that we came than that we broke curfew again.” Lance said as they started up the car. 

“Here’s to hoping.” Keith agreed.

“So you two had to clean a bus, big deal. At least this time around it will be quicker.” Pidge pointed out, elbowing Lance’s arm away from her. She hated being stuck between him and Keith in the back, especially on these longer trips.

Hunk laughed a little. “Until they come up with a new punishment.”

“Hey, you’re the one helping us.” Lance retorted, crossing his arms. 

“We’ll be fine.” Shay said, waving her hand. “So who wants snacks?”

“I knew I liked you for some reason.” Hunk said, smiling at her. 

Shay blushed and handed out a few small things, bags of candy and chips to whoever wanted them. The drive didn’t feel so terrible once they turned up the radio and took turns shouting out the lyrics. The club where the drag race was being held was much more packed than they expected, they even saw a few out of state license plates--that Pidge promptly hit Lance for--parked outside. 

“I’ve never seen so much glitter on the ground in front of a club before.” Keith said, moving his foot around on the ground.

“Have you ever actually been to a club before?” Lance asked.

“Shut up.”

“Tickets?” They looked up to the impossibly tall man standing in front of them, gold eyeliner and bright lipstick. “We’ve got a line, tickets or not?” 

Shay shuffled around in her bag and pulled out a few pieces of folded papers. “Tickets for five.”

He looked them over then scanned the barcode with a smartphone attachment. “Checks out. Are any of you over 21?”

Pidge raised her hand but Lance slapped it back down. “Nope.”

The bouncer stood aside and let them pass, pointing to the sign that directed them to their seats. They moved in and found enough seats for them together, a few rows back but close enough to the stage to see. 

“Did you really think that was going to work?” Keith asked.

Pidge shook her head. “Nah, but it was worth a shot.” 

“Have you ever even tried alcohol?” Hunk asked.

Pidge almost looked offended. “I lived with someone who was raising 4 kids then got me, do you think that was always a sober household?” 

“I know I would.” Lance said. “Not because of you, but I’ve seen a busy household, I’m definitely not going that route.”

“You don’t want kids?” Keith asked. Until Lance had mentioned it, they’d all assumed he’d want a big family just like his especially with how fondly he talked about them. 

“I do, but maybe just one or two.”

Keith smiled a little in spite of himself, then the lights dimmed around them and a spotlight shone down on the stage. They clapped and cheered along with the rest of the crowd. 

“I’m not going to lie,” Pidge shouted over the noise, “but I have no idea what a drag show is supposed to look like or be.” 

“You are in for quite the show.” Hunk said with a grin. “They spend hours getting ready and weeks or months with their performance. It’s amazing.”

“Welcome welcome.” A voice called out as someone stepped onto the stage and into the spotlight. This queen wore a skin tight red leather suit and bright lipstick to match. The spotlight pushed past the impressively long eyelashes and scattered on gold eyeshadow.

“Wow...” Pidge looked stunned, like a piece of the world was suddenly revealed to her. “This is amazing.”

“That’s just the Grand Marshal.” Hunk said, smiling at her wonder. 

“I am so happy we came here!” 

“Tonight, we begin a new competition. We bring together queens from as far as San Francisco!” The Grand Marshal called out. A group cheered particularly loud for that and they figured they knew which queen they’d be rooting for. “Please put your hands together for our first queen of the night, Harlotte Monroe!” 

The crowd roared to life as a new queen stepped out, her eyelashes bigger than the Grand Marshal’s. A big fur coat was draped around her, covering all but her face. The song  _ Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend _ started up and the fur coat dropped to the floor, revealing an amazing, glittering dress with a slit up one leg. 

Pidge whistled and felt she couldn’t clap hard enough. “This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me!” 

“I am never missing a show!” Lance agreed. 

They watched as queen after queen took the stage and brought the crowd to their feet. From scary good to straight up scary, they ruled the stage and everyone loved it. They eagerly waited for Alfor, unsure of what to expect until it came.

“Our night is drawing to a close, my loves, and we have one last queen left. It is my great pleasure to reintroduce a past favorite. Give it up for Flora Duvet!”

Pidge smiled. “Clever.”

Keith glanced at her. “What?”

“Flora, Alfor. It’s an anagram.”

“A what-a-gram?” Lance asked.

“Mix up the letters in one word to make up another.” 

“That’s actually...”

Keith’s words were lost as their eyes were drawn back up to the stage. The first thing Lance noticed was the long white wig-longer than Allura’s hair and twice as big with a purple flower crown unlike any other flowers he’d ever seen. The first thing Pidge noticed was the dress with draping sleeves. Keith was again mesmerized but the sculpted beard, pointed in some areas and rounded in others. Alfor wasn’t the person in front of them, this was Flora Duval.

They cheered louder than they had all night. The song  _ Pour Some Sugar On Me _ , a new version sung by a woman, was nearly drown out. They were sure none of the queens could see far into the crowd, but they were sure she’d be able to hear them. The thought of being punished for missing curfew was the last thing on their minds as they watched what must have been a month’s worth of preparation unfold in front of them. They’d all wash the bus a dozen times over to keep coming back to see these shows and all the hard work put into them. 

It ended far too soon, though an hour long performance wouldn’t have even been enough for them. There was a round of applause only broken for a few seconds when the Grand Marshal asked them to cheer again for their favorite queens. She asked the audience to grab the voting paper and pen under their chairs and write in their favorite queen for each category from song choice, makeup, outfit, and overall performance with a different name for each. 

“I can’t even remember everyone’s names. Who was the queen with the really tall shoes?” Keith asked

“You’re really going to have to be more specific.” Hunk said.

“I know who you’re talking about.” Lance nodded then thought for a second. “I think Starla something.”

“Starlyn Collette. You’re right, her heels were killer.” Pidge scribbled it down under best outfit. 

They filled in their voting papers and handed them down the line to the back for someone to collect. The papers were gathered and counted as quickly as they could. The young girl from the back folded up her paper and stuck it in an envelope, running it up to the stage and handing it to the Grand Marshall. 

“Alright kittens, are you ready to hear tonight’s  _ fabulous  _ winners?” She asked, brandishing the envelope proudly. They cheered and begged for her to rip it open now. “First up, for most amazing song choice... Harlotte Monroe!” 

From behind the curtain, there was a brief pause and Harlotte took the stage, smiling and waving as everyone called her name. Harlotte took up a spot at one end of the stage and waited while the rest of the queens of the night were called. A queen named Coco Devine got the best makeup and Starlyn Collette won for best outfit. All that was left was best overall performance.

“If Flora doesn’t win, I am still so glad we came.” Shay said with a smile.

“Forget that, Flora, Flora, Flora!” Lance chanted.

Pidge smacked his arm, “Lance, shut up.”

“The queen with the best overall performance of the night... Give it up once again for Flora Duvet!” 

They jumped to their feet as the head of Camp S.A.G.A. stepped into the spotlight, so unlike the laid back camp manager they’d known up until now. Flora was a completely separate person from Alfor and they were so happy to have been a part of the audience.

“I feel like this place has changed my life.” Keith said as they gathered their stuff. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see the world the same way. Anyone we’ve ever met could be just as talented and we’d never know.” Lance agreed.

They found Alfor’s car and waited for Coran to come out, unsure just who it would be that was with him. As it turned out, Flora was just an onsite personality, Alfor was the one who left the building, almost no trace of Flora at all. 

“We were hoping to meet Flora in person.” Pidge said as they approached them. 

Alfor gave them a little smile. “You three are breaking your curfew.” 

Lance shrugged. “It was worth it.”

“Congrats.” Keith said, giving Alfor the hug he sought. The others joined in and they talked for a bit about how much they enjoyed the entire night.

“I’m happy you could come, even if it does break a few rules.”

“We won’t tell anyone about the rules if you don’t.” Lance said, giving him a wink.

“Excuse my boyfriend, he has a habit of putting both feet in his mouth.” Keith jumped in. 

“Even so, it is awfully late and time for you to get to bed.” Coran said, giving them all a look that wasn’t necessarily intimidating, but firm enough to convince them not to fight it. 

The five of them got back into Hunk’s car, Pidge convincing Keith and Lance to sit next to her and give her a window seat because they could “be gay and sleep on each other’s shoulders” while she curled up and fell asleep nearly immediately. They agreed on the grounds that Keith was already gay and it just made sense. Hunk and Shay turned some music on as she chatted with him to keep him awake, leaving the two boys to talk. 

Lance laced his fingers with Keith’s as they laid their heads on each other. He knew he’d get an impression against his cheek from Keith’s hair, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. “Would you ever want to be a Drag Queen?”

I do not have the balance, patience, or talent for that kind of thing.” Keith answered with a small laugh. 

“Same here.” He agreed. “Still, I think it would be fun to do. I wouldn’t be much good, but it would be fun.”

They sat in the silence for a moment, letting the flurry of the night settle in finally. 

“Guess what.” Lance said.

“What?”

“This month we’ll have been technically dating for three months.” 

Keith couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face even if he tried. “We’re just going to have to go off of general dates I guess, our version of official was pretty unofficial.”

“You’re right. We should update our Facebook status.”

Keith laughed a little. “You still have a Facebook?”

Lance shrugged. “Who didn’t used to have one? I just never deleted it.”

“I never made an account.”

“Loser.”

“You’re the one who still uses Facebook!” 

“Lance still has a Facebook?” Hunk asked.

“I’m with Lance, it’s how I stay in contact with my grandmother who lives in Canada.” Shay agreed.

“Yeah, thank you, Shay.” Lance said, like she was a tie breaker in his favor. 

“You’re both dorks.” Hunk said with a smile, reaching over to take Shay’s hand. “And I love it.”

They made it back to camp at nearly 2 in the morning. Lance volunteered to carry Pidge back to her room and pulled her onto his back where she immediately fell back asleep. Keith picked up her glasses from where they’d come off in the car as she slept and placed them on the nightstand where they hoped she’d find them in the morning. 

 

 

The next week, they got a new bus of kids that seemed to put the counselors on edge. Shiro was nearly ready to go back to his old job, a pro with his new prosthetic and almost back to normal again. They could still find him wringing his new wrist in his hand as if it could somehow have grown back, but when he smiled it seemed to reach his eyes now, much unlike the way he’d been right after the hospital. 

All of the campers were happy to see him there to introduce himself to the new kids, but there was still the air of nervous tension like something was bound to go wrong and everyone knew, but just couldn’t tell from who or what. As it turned out, it was a new member of the camp.

Coran had them file off the bus and they went through the new routine. The other campers who had set up a rotation for the month--this week being Lance, Keith, Pidge and Jesse--introduced themselves and their identities. That day Pidge was feeling a little more masculine and since the drag show, had gone to Alfor for some makeup tips. At first she wasn’t sure that getting makeup was the right approach for looking more masculine, but Alfor showed them a little trick of the eyebrows that made just the right amount of difference. 

When it came time for them to introduce themselves, they used gender neutral pronouns and explained a little about how they identify as a Demigirl. One of the newbies, a boy of about 16 scoffed as they tried to explain.

Pidge raised their eyebrow. “Something you want to say?”

“You’re obviously a girl. You can’t just pretend to be a boy any time you feel like it.” 

“I’m not pretending, I’m presenting. I present more masculine on days when it reflects the way I feel.” They said defensively.

“What’s your real name?” He demanded, stepping closer to her.

“My name is Pidge.”

“No parent would name their child Pidge, what is your real name?”

Pidge set their jaw and furrowed their eyebrows. “Pidge fucking Gunderson.”

The boy shoved Pidge’s shoulder. “Freak.”

Keith shoved him back before Pidge could even make a move toward him. “Don’t touch them or I swear I’ll give you a black eye.”

“You’re friends with someone like her?”

Lance moved in next to Keith. “You might think they look like a girl but until you’ve been in their shoes, don’t be a prick and decide what pronouns you think they should use. If Pidge says they’re a girl, they are. If Pidge says today they don’t feel like either, then dammit you’re going to use they, got it?” 

“This is a camp full of freaks! If the welcoming committee set up you two losers and a faggot to--” 

He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence and Lance didn’t have a chance to stop his boyfriend. Before either of them realized what was going on, Keith had punched the new boy square in the jaw, knocking him backwards. Lance quickly got over the initial shock and grabbed both of Keith’s arms, holding him back from attacking again. Hunk hurried to the other boy, getting shoved away as he claimed he was fine. Hunk called Shiro and Allura over while he asked Pidge and Lance to drag Keith away. 

“What was that?” Lance demanded as Keith kicked at one of the camp signs as they directed him away from the new kids.

“He was yelling at Pidge!” 

“You didn’t have to punch him!”

“It’s Pidge!” Keith fell down on a bench and ran a hand through his hair. “I just got mad.”

“I know it was Pidge, but you didn’t see me jumping in there trying to start a fight. What if that kid was sent here to see if this place really is what we say it is?”

Pidge kissed Keith’s cheek. “Thank you Keith.”

“Pidge, you are so not helping my point here!”

“I’m not agreeing with the method, but I kinda wanted to punch the guy too.” They shrugged like it was going to happen regardless of who started it. “I told you I gave someone a bloody nose before.”

Lance sighed. “Pidge, you’re supposed to be the responsible one here, not me!”

“Don’t be responsible and just tell me good shot.” Keith suggested.

“Well... I guess it was...”

“See, no problem here.” 

“Alfor and Coran are so going to yell at you for this.”

And they did. They called Keith Pidge and the other boy into the therapist office to talk about the incident. The new boy got a slap on the wrist and Keith had to help wash dishes after dinner that night, but they didn’t make him apologize so he was okay with it. 

Lance tried his best to stick to his original stance but every time he saw Darren’s face--he’d learned the kid’s name from Hunk who had met up with them say he felt sorry for anyone who got too close to him--he sort of wanted to lose control and hit him too. He figured the best he could do to fix the problem was just to keep them away from each other which worked at least for the day. 

While Keith was scrubbing dishes, Hunk and Shay sat out with Lance and Pidge to look up at the stars from the dock. Hunk explained the background to Darren’s arrival once Lance brought up him being a spy from the outside trying to shut them down. Apparently, Darren had a lot of internalized homophobia, so much so that he’d outed himself to his parents knowing they might send him off to a conversion camp just so that he could change his feelings. He  _ wanted  _ them to fix him. When he told them his story, Allura took it upon herself to help him out. They disappeared into the therapist's office and they didn’t see much more of him except for meals. 

“The less you two see him, the better.” Lance said once Keith pointed it out. 

“Good point.” Pidge agreed.

“Yeah, I’m done washing dishes.” Keith nodded.


	11. Candles, Flowers, and the Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge thought for a moment. “What if--”
> 
> “Oh God tell me you’re not planning on breaking someone’s arm.” Hunk groaned.
> 
> “I nominate Darren.” Keith said.
> 
> “You need to let that go, boy.” Lance scolded him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYoapICIfeE&list=PLe6yqcYQ_xv5vveXp5WxfRAJXEV5F_Ljg&index=8

“Oh good, there you are!” Shiro said, coming upon Hunk Shay and Pidge sitting on the dock. Once Lance and Keith saw him come up, they swam over to meet up with them.

“What’s up?” Lance asked as he pulled himself up on the edge of the wood.

“You know how today’s the first?”

“Is it really?” Keith shook his head to get water out of his ears. “We’ve got a bus coming to take kids home in a few days then.”

“True, but that’s not what I’m talking about. It’s mine and Allura’s 4 year anniversary tomorrow and I’ve got a bit of a crazy plan.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be watching Darren?” Pidge asked.

“Not anymore, he’s settling in better here. The therapists are being really helpful and he’s been much more responsive to Allura and I, I think he and Jesse are actually getting close to being sort of friends. He’s getting better, but that’s not the point here.” Shiro reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red velvet box.

“Oh my goodness!” Shay’s hands flew to her mouth as if to hide the smile that was so big, they thought her face might be stuck that way.

“You’re going to propose?” Pidge demanded, her eyes huge.

“I was thinking even a step farther than that.” Shiro said, a slight blush covering his face. “I want to marry her. Tomorrow night. Just us here, no big ceremony, nothing fancy just the camp with us and our friends.”

“We are so in.” Lance said, practically jumping with excitement. 

“What do you need us to do?” Hunk asked.

“Are you crying?” Keith smirked a little.

“No! I just really love weddings.” Hunk said defensively.

“Well, I do need a bit of help.”

“We’re ready for your directions.” Pidge said with a salute. 

“I already got Alfor and Coran to help me out around here, if you could pick up a few things for me in town it would be such a big help.” 

Hunk stood up quickly. “Everyone in the car, we’re going shopping!”

“I’m going in boardshorts.” Lance said, pulling his discarded T-shirt over his head.

Shiro handed a list over to Hunk. “I just need a few things. Pidge, Shay, if you could find a bouquet for her...”

“We’ve got you covered.” Pidge assured him. 

“Beat you all to the car!” Keith said, pulling on his chucks without tying them up and breaking into a run with Lance just behind him.

“Who wears converse down to go swimming?” Shiro asked, watching them run away.

Pidge shrugged. “He’s got a reputation to uphold I suppose.”

“We’ve got this.” Hunk patted his shoulder and they followed after their friends.

“Thanks guys!” Shiro called as he headed back towards the Main Hall. 

The trip into town took them first to the grocery store. They had a few ingredients to grab for the kitchen crew to make up a fancy meal, but Hunk ended up grabbing much more. “Are cookies a wedding food?”

“No... Make them, please!” Pidge begged.

“This is going to be a sort of a... different kind of wedding.” Lance said, tossing a bag of chocolate chips in the basket. “I say go for it.”

Keith grabbed another bag and dropped it in. “You’re going to need a few double batches for a wedding.”

“Do you think Darren would come?” Shay asked.

“I hope not.” Pidge said, making a sour face.

“Pidge, that’s not very nice.”

“Hi, I’m Pidge, I don’t know if we’ve met.”

“I’m sure he’s going to be there, but if you two or three get into a fight, I will escort you out of the reception.” Hunk threatened.

“Alright, alright, we won’t throw any punches.”

“Well... not the first punches.” Keith said, putting his hand up for Pidge to smack with a high five.

Lance sighed. “I’m dating a 12 year old.”

Keith punched him in the arm as Hunk rolled his eyes. “We’re moving on, we’ve got to find a bouquet.”

They found a small florist area in one corner of the store and found a larger selection that they thought they would and of course, each of them found a different favorite. Pidge loved one full of roses that faded from yellow to peach, Lance liked the one that had several large white lilies, Keith picked a traditional one of red roses, and Hunk the tulips in a variety of colors. Then, Shay found one with a variety of flowers that included the purple flowers they’d seen in Flora’s flower crown. As soon as they saw it, the others agreed it was perfect.  They bought everything they needed--and everything they didn’t--and put everything in the back of Hunk’s car. 

“You know what she needs?” Lance asked, looking across the street to another store. “A dress.”

“A dress?” Keith repeated. “There’s no way we could get her into a dress without her catching on.”

Lance ignored him and crossed the street, Pidge and Shay following without another thought. The other two sighed and put in the last bags and hurrying after them. The ladies at the front desk swarmed the group, asking who the bride was, if any of them were the fiancee, what day the wedding was, they were floored.

“Definitely not getting married.” Pidge clarified. 

“We’re picking out a dress for a friend. Her wedding is tomorrow.” 

The oldest of the store clerks looked shocked and almost appalled. “A shotgun wedding then?”

Lance narrowed his eyes. “No, they’re eloping. I think we’ve got it.” He spun on his heel and following his lead, they spread through the store. 

Long or short, white or off-white, lace or beading, none of them knew just how many dresses there could be in just one little store, but they were blown away. Their first instinct was to go with a long one but as they found out, more length meant more money. Besides, this was a casual affair and there was no need for such a showy dress, especially if Shiro wasn’t going to be in a full suit and tie. Their next stop was a flowy skirt but with the June weather lately, they were worried about the wind. 

“She has really nice legs, maybe above the knee, not tight.” Lance said as they walked through the aisles. 

Keith stood at the end of the aisle, his arms crossed and eyebrow raised. “You like her legs huh?” 

“Yes, but I’m only human babe. Don’t worry I like yours too.” Lance pecked his lips and breezed past him. 

Shay called them over to look at a dress she found with a ribbon around the waist and a bow in the back. “I loke this, but I think it may be a little short for her.”

Pidge agreed. “I know she can pull off a paper bag, but if her dad’s are going to be there it might be a little bit umm... inappropriate.” 

“Did we reach a decision on the lace versus jewels thing?” Hunk asked, pulling out a new dress with lace sleeves and a low cut front. “Well maybe not this one.”

“Allura is modest and beautiful and tall and sophisticated. What kind of dress says all of that?” Lance asked.

“What about this one?” Keith asked from another aisle.

They rounded the corner to see his pick: an ivory dress with a lace covered skirt. There was a bow in the back and the sleeves were long and draping, somewhat like a renaissance faire dress. The neckline was low but not scandalous, the lace was elegant not old, and the color was going to look amazing against her warm skin. 

“This is perfect.” Lance said in awe.

Shay agreed. “Remind me to have you around when I get married.”

They picked it up and took it up to the front without any more debate. It was perfect and they couldn’t wait to see her in it for her wedding.

“I really hope Shiro has some sort of plan to get her out of the camp for the day.” Shay said as she gently placed the dress in the trunk of Hunk’s car.

“I’m sure he thought of that.” Keith said.

 

 

“I didn’t even think about that!” Shiro lamented. The others sighed. They had successfully hidden away any sign of the wedding from Allura’s possible wandering eye. Now they just needed to finalize this last problem. 

“What about Alfor and Coran?” Hunk suggested. “They could take her out or something.”

“She won’t go if it’s our anniversary, we’re always together.” Shiro said, shaking his head.

Pidge thought for a moment. “What if--” 

“Oh God tell me you’re not planning on breaking someone’s arm.” Hunk groaned.

“I nominate Darren.” Keith said.

“You need to let that go, boy.” Lance scolded him.

“While that does sound fun, I was thinking more along the lines of distraction.” She said. “If Shay and I figure out something to do to keep her on the outskirts or even outside of camp, you guys can set up. There aren’t any new busses and no one is leaving tomorrow so we can keep her busy with just us girls in and out of you two doing something like lunch together.”

Shiro nodded. “We were planning on going to a bit of a late lunch together in town.”

“Perfect!” Lance said, grinning widely. “We can put up the last minute touches.”

“Also, we can give Allura her dress.” Shay added.

“What?”

“We may have bought your future bride a wedding dress while we were out today.” Hunk explained.

Shiro smiled. “And there will be cookies at a wedding. I knew I could count on you guys!”

With that figured out, they split up to do as much work today as the could. Pidge and Shay finalized minute by minute details for their distraction for tomorrow, Hunk ran through the kitchen and made last minute changes, while Lance and Keith helped Shiro walk back over every inch of his plan. Shiro entrusted the two of them with his whole plan so they could get the last pieces in place while he was out with Allura. 

Despite the fact that it wasn’t their wedding, both of them were surprisingly excited. They went to bed practically giddy about all they were doing the next day. Between the set up and the actual event, they all had so much to do that a full night of rest should have been a priority and yet only Allura seemed to get enough sleep.

The next morning they let Shiro handle Allura’s distraction while they helped Hunk in the kitchen. What they could get done early they did, despite more often than not having Hunk telling them to get out of the way. 

Once they’d helped as much as they could in there, Lance, Keith, Pidge and Shay left the kitchen to the normal crew and Hunk. The latter two went to find Allura and take her out on a hiking path like they’d asked her yesterday. Their plan was to keep her out and away from the Main Hall as much as they could which should be easy enough. The boys, on the other hand, found Shiro and started on setting up the Main Hall. They draped the tables with simple tablecloths, filled balloons and kept them hidden between the rows, and put out all manner of candles in multiple colors and sizes. It was a simple but beautiful; they were even happier now with their choice for Allura’s dress. 

“I like the rainbow candles.” Lance said. “That was a good idea.”

“Thanks.” Keith pecked his cheek and handed him a box. “Now let’s get to work on plates.” 

Lance groaned. “This is why they have a buffet style for meals isn’t it?”

Shiro laughed. “Well don’t you think that would be easier on us?” The three of them laid out a few extra plates for ex-campers who had been invited for the reception along with the 134 campers there were. 

“When you said a small wedding, did you realize there are going to be almost 150 people here?” Keith asked. 

Shiro shrugged. “I just hope we have enough food.”

“Hunk’s got that all under control.” Lance assured him. “He’s been cooking all day.”

“We need to put up curtains or something.” Keith said. 

Shiro sighed. “I didn’t think of that either.”

“We’ll just keep her farther away than we first thought. What time are you two going to be back?”

“Ah yes, about that, we’re going to leave a little bit earlier than I first said because I want to go take her to see her mother’s grave. It would mean more if she can go there before the wedding even if she doesn’t know it’s coming.” Shiro explained.

That left Lance and Keith with a little more breathing room so they were excited about the new development. Shiro got a text from Pidge saying they were done with one of the trails and were taking her on the short one then she would be going back to her room to shower and change. They were planning on presenting her the dress there so it would fit in with Shiro’s idea of going out to dinner.

“It’s a good thing the dress doesn’t exactly scream wedding dress.” Keith said.

Lance raised his eyebrows. “What exactly ‘screams wedding dress’ to you, Keith?” 

“Probably long and white but this dress is neither so we’re good.” 

Shiro hauled in another box, this one with a different set of dishes and silverware for the small table that he, Allura, Coran and Alfor would share at the head of all the others. Coran had bought two signs to hang on the back of their chairs, Mr. and Mrs. As far as the reception, they were all finished. All they needed now was Allura away from camp so they could put up the little archway and little decorations underneath one of the trees by the lake where they would have the ceremony. 

Once Pidge let them know Allura was headed back up to her room, Shiro left to get himself ready as well. Lance and Keith grabbed Hunk from the kitchen and found the other two already at the tree. 

“I am so excited!” Shay said bubbling.

 

 

“You better not let me trip.” Allura said as she walked down a path with Shiro’s hands over her eyes. 

“Never.” He was surprised his hands hadn’t gotten sweaty in his anticipation, especially since his heart was racing a mile a minute. 

“What more could you possibly have planned for today?” She asked for the tenth time.

“You’ll see soon enough.” They got to the end of the path, just in front of the archway the others had put together with little lights and decorations that may or may not have been from their Valentine's day dance. It was perfect. “I’m going to let go but you still can’t peek okay?” 

She nodded and kept her eyes closed as he spun her around to look at him rather than the ceremony. With her back turned, the others flew out of their hiding spots and crowded in on the grass, creating a little aisle between them. Alfor took up his place just behind them and Coran just under the arch.

“Allura... throughout everything that has happened recently to me, you have been there the entire time. I could not imagine living through that nightmare without you. You make me the best version of myself and you are the person I want to be with for the rest of my life.” Shiro let go of her hands and got down on one knee. “You can open your eyes now.” 

She did, taking just a fraction of a second to look from where she’d expected him to where he was now and connect the dots. Tears sprung to her eyes as Shiro fumbled slightly with his prosthetic arm to hold the box while the other opened it to reveal a simple but beautiful ring. “Shiro...” He voice cracked as the tears started to roll down her face and a smile split her lips.

“Allura. Will you marry me?” 

She nodded, nearly unable to speak. “Yes.” She mumbled out, pulling him to his feet to kiss him. Shiro slid the ring onto her finger and she kissed him again before wiping the tears from her eyes so she could see him properly. “I’ve never been so happy in my whole life.”

Alfor stepped forward and pulled her attention to him now so Shiro could slip behind her and stand at the altar in front of Coran. “My beautiful daughter.” Allura hugged him tightly, her tears falling again in currents. “There is another surprise waiting for you my dear.” 

She pulled away from him to see the campers--some already crying--arrayed before her and Shiro waiting at the end of the aisle. Alfor stuck out his arm and she wound hers through it as Rey, a camper who’d left nearly 6 months ago, handed her the bouquet. They walked forward and Alfor hugged her and Shiro tightly, whispering good wishes in their ears. 

Throughout the ceremony, Lance periodically glanced down at Keith whose eyes never wavered and who he could have sworn might just be crying. He didn’t say anything yet for fear of disturbing the wedding but Keith would definitely be getting questioned later. Hunk Shay and Pidge were all in tears. It took him longer to realize he was too, so overwhelmed with happiness he hadn’t even noticed. 

“I now pronounce you man and wife. Shiro, please kiss your beautiful bride.” 

He did as Coran asked, lifting Allura off her feet and spinning her in a small circle. She’d finally stopped crying now and could only smile like she couldn’t imagine anything better than this life on this day with this man. 

The campers cheered as they followed the newlyweds to the Main Hall where Allura was blown away again by the sheer thoughtfulness and caring of her new husband. They ate, they danced, they laughed and loved far into the night until every camper collapsed from exhaustion only to get back up and do it again. Lance did bring up the ceremony to Keith later, receiving a blushing boyfriend and a small smack on the arm. Maybe it was the way he looked in the candlelight, or the way he smiled as Lance tried to teach him how to dance, or the way the boy cried at weddings but something about Keith today made Lance absolutely sure. He was in love with him.

Little did any of them know that just days later, a tragedy would fall upon them and the Main Hall, so full of love and life, would turn barren and dark. None of them could have ever predicted something so earth shattering to come not even two weeks after a wedding, from a day of bliss to one of pure sorrow.


	12. June 12th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 49 people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fanfic has been a cathartic way for me to deal with being able to mourn this event while being out of the closet. Thank you to anyone who decided to read this far. <3 Thank you

The news rang throughout Camp S.A.G.A. 

_ 49 people. _

It was like each of them had woken up knowing something terrible had happened while they slept.

_ 49 people. _

The campers whispered the news to each other between sobs and screams, whenever they could force words through their lips.

_ 49 people. _

They held each other tightly, none of them having any energy to focus on anything other than the pain that blanketed them now.

_ 49 people. _

The only ones who seemed unaffected by the dawn of June 12th, 2016 were the birds. They rose to meet the day as normal, chirping and carrying on as if nothing in the world had changed. For the campers though, everything had changed. They’d lost 49 brothers and sisters. Even more were in the hospital with spirits so broken no amount of medicine could ever fully heal them. 

No one showed up for breakfast. Allura couldn’t stop crying, Shiro couldn’t stop his hands from shaking, Pidge couldn’t stop herself from tearing apart anything she touched, and Hunk and Shay couldn’t seem to let each other go. Keith and Lance were nowhere to be found. 

Coran made an announcement over the speakers asking everyone to gather in the Main Hall. They needed to come together during this time, not be alone. The crack in his voice shattered any last hope Hunk had been clinging to that this whole thing could be just a terrible nightmare. Shay’s silent tears were finally being wiped away and Pidge slowly dropped her phone onto the bed rather than send it through the window. 

The Main Hall filled with kids but remained eerily quiet. A few of the people who’d left the camp even showed up, talking lowly with Shiro and Allura. Pidge caught Darren’s eye from across the room. He’d been talking to one of his friends but as soon as he spotted her, Darren ran over and caught her up in the most surprising hug of her life. 

“I’m sorry.” He said, his voice thick and broken.

Pidge slowly hugged him back, finally letting hot tears run down her face. When he first showed up, they’d been at each other’s throats but now... now neither of them had enough energy to attack the other; they’d all been attacked enough to last them a lifetime. Alfor slowly let go of Coran and gathered their attention.

“Today,” Alfor began in a low, sorrowful voice, “we have all felt a tremendous loss. 49 people, not much older than some of you here, have lost their lives. Countless others--those who knew the victims personally and those who now know this fear--have lost their hope. But do not give in to it. Cry for them, grieve in any way you know how, but never give up hope.” 

Hunk, Shay and Pidge headed to Pidge’s room once they were released again. Hunk took both of their hands in his now that Pidge’s rage had ceased, but there was no way he could fix this. There was no time travel, no revival cure, no magic spell. All he could do was hold tight to these two and hope that by some other means they got through this.

Pidge looked around at everything she’d broken this morning, suddenly very tired. The room was too bright so she slammed the curtains shut, like that could stop the bright summer sun from pervading the room. It almost made her mad all over again; how could the sky still shine so brightly while they were stuck in the gloom and sorrow of their own minds. Shay eventually suggested they find Keith and Lance, but it still took them a moment to move. The three of them felt their limbs turn to lead and their strength disappear, but they got up anyways. They needed to find their friends.

 

 

Keith had found out about the news earlier than the others; a trip to the bathroom using his phone to light the way had turned into something so much worse than a nightmare. He’d woken Lance up immediately after reading all he could before tears blurred his vision. At nearly 5 in the morning, they’d stolen away outside and found their way to the top of the camp hill just to get away from everything else. They sat in the early morning sun, arms pressed against each other so the casual touch could ground them to reality. 

“Why?” Lance finally asked, more to the world than to Keith.

“I don’t know.” Keith pulled his legs up to his chest.

“49 people.”

“The biggest mass shooting in American history.”

“It was Latin Night.” Lance’s voice cracked and tears fell again, just after he’d gotten them to stop.

Keith’s heart broke as he pulled Lance closer to him, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend like he could stick their broken pieces back together if he just squeezed him tight enough. Since Keith found out, a thought had been plaguing him. Lance could go back home, he could find a pretty girl and be safe again. It would never change who he was, but it could make him less of a target if... if they weren’t together.

“Lance...” He said softly, pulling away from him, their hands lingering together. “I was thinking--”

“I love you.” 

Keith blinked. The words he’d been trying to say were lost to the morning, nothing but Lance’s face and words were even in focus right now. “Lance...”

“Keith.” Lance slid one of his hands out and touched the other boy’s cheek gently. “I love you.”

He didn’t realize he was crying until Lance brushed the tears away, cupping his boyfriend’s face. “Doesn’t it scare you? That people would go to such lengths to keep people like up apart?”

“It terrifies me. But that doesn’t mean I am ever letting you walk away from me. It means I’ll hold you closer for every threat.”

Keith kissed his palm. “I love you too.”

Lance kissed him, the feeling of Keith’s sun warmed lips the only thing he wanted to think about. They settled back together with their hands intertwined. Keith’s head settled on his shoulder and Lance’s cheek pressed against his hair. He noticed the faint smell of honey and realized Keith had been using his shampoo lately. 

The victims of the Orlando Pulse shooting were still there, never far from thought. The video of a mother looking for her son, a young girl who had gunshots in the background of her snapchat story, there would be a scar across the entire LGBTQIA+ community forever. Lance kept remembering how lucky he was to have his boyfriend tucked under his chin that he periodically squeezed Keith’s hand just to tell them both that the other was still there. They might feel despair and pain, but they didn’t need to feel alone.

Pidge crested the hill first, spotting Lance and Keith pressed together like if they let go, the other might disappear. She quietly walked up behind them and plopped down next to them. Keith reached out and held one of her hands in his, the fingerless gloves warm from the summer sun that pounded down on them. Hunk and Shay came up just behind her, taking a seat behind the three of them. Hunk ran the tips of his fingers across Lance’s back, a small touch just to say he was there. 

None of them could tell how much time had passed, but eventually they were aware Shiro and Allura had joined them as well. The seven of them stared at the scene, trees bright and alive, birds flying freely. It was both mesmerising and painful to see how untouched nature remained while they were trying not to fall apart. 

They all jumped when Hunk’s stomach growled. Allura checked the time and they were shocked to see lunch had come and gone without the bell to signal it. As they stirred, finding their legs cramped and wobbly, the group turned to see the camp had become a ghost town.

The door to the therapist office was open and they could see through as they walked down the hill. A bunch of campers were crowded into the lobby in a form of group therapy. The lake, even in the middle of a June day, was barren. As they approached it, they could see the end of the dock had been decorated with every manner of pride flag, candle, and small trinket the campers could think of, all to honor their fallen siblings. 

Lance patted his pockets and found a sharpie like he’d been looking for. “Keith, pull up the list.” He said, his voice hollow and shattered.

Keith knew exactly what he was talking about. “Stanley Almodovar III.” He read off of his phone. “Amanda Alvear.” As he called out the names, Lance wrote them down on the two end pillars of the dock. 

“Oscar A. Aracena-Montero.” With every name, a new tear fell from their eyes. “Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala.” He was worried his voice wouldn’t make it through the whole list. “Alejandro Barrios Martinez.” 

The others were worried they’d run out of tears, the worst offense they could think of to those who’d lost their lives. “Martin Benitez Torres.” Allura made a small, strangled noise, remembering a camper with the name Martin. 

The names kept coming. “Antonio D. Brown... Darryl R. Burt II... Jonathan A. Camuy Vega... Angel L. Candelario-Padro... Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez... Juan Chevez-Martinez... Luis D. Conde... Cory J. Connell... Tevin E. Crosby... Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez... Deonka D. Drayton... Mercedez M. Flores... Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz... Juan R. Guerrero... Paul T. Henry... Frank Hernandez... Miguel A. Honorato... Javier Jorge-Reyes... Jason B. Josaphat... Eddie J. Justice... Anthony L. Laureano Disla... Christopher A. Leinonen... Brenda L. Marquez McCool... Jean C. Mendez Perez... Akyra Monet Murray... Kimberly Morris... Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez... Luis O. Ocasio-Capo... Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez... Eric I. Ortiz-Rivera... Joel Rayon Paniagua... Enrique L. Rios Jr... Juan P. Rivera Velazquez... Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan... Christopher J. Sanfeliz... Xavier E. Serrano Rosado... Gilberto R. Silva Menendez... Edward Sotomayor Jr... Shane E. Tomlinson... Leroy Valentin Fernandez... Luis S. Vielma... Luis D. Wilson-Leon... Jerald A. Wright.”

The last name floated across the lake as Lance got back to his feet, capping his pen. “Look at them.” He mumbled, letting Keith wrap his arms around his torso. “They’re gone.”

Pidge sniffed and wiped her cheeks fiercely. “What are we supposed to do?” She asked.

Allura hugged her tightly. “We keep moving. We live for them and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The Main Hall only had a few kids, sitting alone. The staff had left lunch out for anyone who could eat whenever they could. As they sat, Pidge realized not even the fruit she’d picked up sounded appetizing. They nibbled enough to calm their stomachs, but not much more. 

Lance looked over the boy in front of him and thought about the past couple of months. Meeting him, flirting with him, dating him, falling in love with him. The progression had been so natural he couldn’t pin down the point when he knew it, but he was in love with Keith Kogane. They could have a future. There would be enough time for them. He thought back just a bit farther: driving past the Camp S.A.G.A. sign on the road. 

“A tale of heroic achievement.” Lance said quietly.

“A saga.” Keith agreed. 


End file.
